Ethiopia has revealed plans to add 12 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, including hydropower projects, till 2020.
The proposed capacity addition is part of the Ethiopian government’s new 2015-2020 plan, or Growth and Transformation Plan 2 (GTP-2), which is to be endorsed by that country’s parliament in September.
Reuters has reported quoting senior Ethiopian officials that the country has been planning to utilize its hydropower potential to generate 45 gigawatts of hydropower.
The news agency, citing official documents it claims having access to, says Ethiopia is planning Mega dams with 2,000 megawatt capacity each across key rivers and tributaries, including the Omo and the Nile.
Under GTP-1, which was for the period 2010 to 2015, Ethiopia started work on a $4.1-billion Grand Renaissance Dam and proposed to complete work on the $1.8-billion Gilgel Gibe 3 project.
Together the dams are to boost power generating capacity to 10 gigawatts upon completion from 2.4 gigawatts at present.
For GTP-2 the financing plans the government has includes at least 50 percent from its own coffers and the rest from different sources. The projects are slated to be launched by 2020.
On the whole, Ethiopia plans to spend $25 billion on the projects that also include solar, wind and geothermal ventures.
GTP 1 and GTP 2, together, are expected to help Ethiopia overshoot the target of 20 gigawatts by 2020 which it had set in 2011. And the country hopes to export most of the energy produced considering that its domestic demand is limited.
The projects Ethiopia has plans for include power links with South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda and Yemen.
Ajith Kumar S