Addis Ababa — Ethiopia inaugurated the $1.57 billion Gibe III hydro plant on River Omo on Saturday.

 

The plant which is located 450km southwest of the capital Addis Ababa will increase Ethiopia's total electricity output to 4,238MW with 10 turbines installed, each with a capacity of 187MW.

 

The plant is expected to supply both domestic and export markets.

 

Gibe III is the third plant on the Gibe-Omo hydroelectric cascade, with a capacity of 1,870MW. The Gibe I and Gibe II are the other operational plants with the government planning to build Gibe IV and V further downstream.

 

The construction of the Gibe III began in July 2006 with China's ICBC bank covering 60 per cent of the cost through a loan while the Ethiopian government covered the remaining 40 per cent.

 

Electricity from the plant will be transmitted through a 400 kilovolt line stretching up to the outskirt of Addis Ababa - Kaliti power plant.

 

The dam was constructed by Dong Fang of China and Italian firm Salini Impregilo.

 

Ethiopia commissioned the first phase of electricity generation at the Gibe III plant last year with three turbines generating an output of 561MW.

Source : allafrica.com