EEP reveals massive success in generation, operation of power

With all the dire situations in the country, Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) discloses that in a positive light most of the mega projects are running as per projection. At the half year mark, the energy service export has reeled in over USD 46 million with no incidence of nationwide blackout being reported.
Moges Mekonnen, Public relation head of EEP, said that despite challenges popping in different corners of the country, mainly on the northern part of Ethiopia, the power generation entity has recorded smooth running of its mega projects.
“Our big projects that are being undertaken in different parts of the country are running without any halt. For instance, the GERD is running as per schedule, similar to Koysha hydro-electric project whilst government on its end has given required attention and support,” he told Capital.
Moges likewise called on the public to continue accelerating its moral and financial support for projects, saying, “for instance, currently GERD is at 84.2 percent completion, thus the public should continue their contribution aggressively since the project is on the early generation work stage.”
“Our concern on delay of projects is at the sites located in Amhara, Afar and Tigray,” he added.
Projects like Bahir Dar-Woldya-Komblocha 400 kv transmission line, which is 85 per cent accomplished, has been looted by the terrorist group as they expanded their territory through aggression to Amhara region.
Similarly, the Mekele-Dallol transmission line project that stretches to Semera-Afdera has fully been stopped.
Because of the aggression, 1.6 billion birr worth of damages were incurred in Amhara and Afar regions, while the infrastructure status at Tigray and some areas in Afar where the terrorist group relaunched its aggression is not known.
In the first six months of the budget year EEP has generated 7,673 GWh energy which is 84 percent of the target. “The generation projection was 9, 080 GWh, while some part of the areas in Afar and Amhara were out of service because of the aggression, thus our generation was reduced for the sake of power saving,” Moges explains.
Similarly, the generation was reduced due to the two power stations operating in Tigray not being included in the report for the stated period.
In the first half year USD 46.4 million was earned from power export to Djibouti and Sudan. The revenue earned from the export has increased by ten percent compared with the same period of last year.
“From energy export to Djibouti increased by 10 percent to USD 26.9 million compared with the same period of last year,” Moges explained.
Ethiopia is also on the process to embark power sales to southern neighbor, Kenya.
Moges said that in the budget year, EEP has projected to earn USD 138 million from service export of the three countries, while the export to Kenya is yet to commence.
“If the export to Kenya commences in the coming months the earnings will be expanded,” he explained.
Last year, USD 90.5 million was secured from energy export.
The Public Relation head stated that in the past six month it has achieved massive success in generation and operation, “for instance in the last budget year, during the first half, two nationwide blackouts had occurred which has not transpired during this period.”