Alternative energy neglect factor of darkness

By Tedla Yeneakal

The severe electricity shortage that has hit Ethiopia, is a constant source of great public and government concern as a failure eat large failing to combat the problem which is devastating the economy. The public to the extreme end has questioned the competency of a government that has failed to deliver on one of the basic utilities.
Dr. Dawit Taddese, an energy expert on in his research paper highlights the lack of attention given to alternative energy sources as the country is immensely endowed with natural resources. The unfortunate fact that the country has not been successful in utilizing its natural resources in a sustainable way is sighted by the expert as one of the reasons for the gap created in the energy sector, which is currently critical nationwide.
“Solar energy is one of the natural resources that have not been utilized to date. The sunshine we get in our celebrated 13 months is actually a resource that can be successfully used to address some of our chronic problems of firewood supply shortage, can improve human health and abate environmental degradation,” said Dr. Dawit, emphasizing the need for utmost utilization of our resources.
According to an estimate carried out by the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) in the year 2003, the sector’s monopoly controlling generation, transmission and distribution, electricity production from geothermal, solar, and wind sources only accounts for 0.05 percent, whereas thermal sources 1.08 percent, with hydroelectric power being the major source accounting for 98.87 percent of the entire electricity supply.
There are few emerging solar power companies which have not yet embarked fully in the provision of energy. The reliance on hydroelectric generating capacity has left the power sector vulnerable to reduced production during the dry season or during the now all too regular prolonged droughts. Yet while some African countries such as Tanzania, have sought to tackle this problem by developing thermal power plants in order to create a more balanced generation mix, EEPCo has decided to greatly increase its hydro electric capacity. Its reasoning seems to be that if droughts cut production at hydroelectric plants in half then it should double its capacity to cope with the cuts. However it has failed in achieving that as it is currently seen in the country, let alone on plans of exporting surplus electricity when there is abundant water.
Officials of the state owned
electricity company attributed in a press conference they several months ago, when the power shedding started saying it is primarily the lack of rain that has resulted in the shortage of power. However, this contradicts the fact that it has been raining throughout the country, of late with no change on supply.
According to figures from various research papers in the field, at least 85% of the Nile water flowing to Egypt comes from Ethiopia and this mountainous eastern African state relies almost exclusively on hydro schemes to provide its power requirements. However, the generating capacity at most of its hydroelectric power plants has fallen because of silting and
The main power grid in the country is known as the Inter Connected System (ICS), which connects the vast majority of power plants to the main towns. At present, there are eight hydro, twelve diesel fired and one geothermal plants in the ICS and a number of towns have now been connected to the ICS, although there has been far less progress in rural areas. According to EEPCo only 14.41% of the population had access to electricity in 2004, the latest year for which there are accurate figures.
EEPCo’s officials had previously dared to reveal in a press statement that by 2010, the construction of the Tekeze hydro power dam with a capacity of 300MW, Gilgele Gibe II with a capacity of 420MW and Beles hydro power dam with a capacity of 435MW will be completed with neighboring Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan being the most likely markets the company estimated it could earn tens of millions of dollars a year from exports. However, the corporation has failed to currently satisfy even local energy demand.
The three schemes that are being developed at a total cost of $1.4 billion USD represent the biggest investment ever in the Ethiopian power sector. The addition of 1155MW of new capacity will certainly revolutionize the country’s power sector, only if the relevant authorities take a balanced measure and implement a policy that is targeted at the provision of equitable power from various energy sources so that the country will never encounter an electric black out similar to this year, rated as the worst ever by various professionalsand the public at large.