Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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PM rallys global investors to create recreational sites at GERD

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Ethiopia calls on global partners to invest in recreational development on the islands on the artificial lake formed behind the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed pointed out that the dam height has now reached at least 600 meters above sea level at the center up from 575 meters from a year ago.
At the launching event of the third water filling at the GERD on Friday August 12, Abiy said that the river, which the PM describes as a gift from God, has become a global development hub which bears enormous potential.
He said that the artificial lake on the Abay River has about 70 islands which can serve as recreational destinations. He invited global partners to be part of different recreational developments at the site that is suitable for hiking, fishing and other entertainment, “the world must be ready to use it and invest here.”
“We Africans have endorsed the continental economic integration to which the project allows us to share our resources with other Africans in realizing our long term vision of powering the grid and creating prosperity on the continent,” he added.
Noting that Abay is a natural resource given for Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, the PM underlined that many works can be done that would benefit not only the three downstream countries but also other states, if they use it properly.
“It should be understood that the river, which is a free gift given by God for the three downstream countries, must be utilized properly by working together,” he said whilst calling on the co-states to work together for mutual benefit and shared development strategies on the resource.
Abiy also said that the civil works that were conducted in the past one year have created the opportunity to catch up to 22 billion cubic meters of water.
On Friday he disclosed that the project has achieved the third water filling.
Kifle Horo, Project Manager of GERD, said that since the reform period that took correction on the project handling, the hydraulic steel structure works have been accomplished which allowed the central part of the dam construction to increase from 25 meters to 100 meters, while the left and right wing have expanded to 145 meter and 111 meters.
“The civil work and electro mechanical work has been accomplished by 95 and 61 percent respectively which when combined brings the total accomplishment to 83.3 percent,” he said, adding, “in the coming up to two and half years the project will be fully finalized.”
According to the Project Manager, despite several challenges in the past few years the project has continued to attain massive successes.
In February, the first generation was introduced which was then followed by the second unit, unit 9, official power production on Thursday August 11. The two turbines that are currently operating have a generating capacity of 375 megawatts.
Currently, spiral case installation works at unit 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, and 16 is being undertaken.

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