ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia is positioning itself as a regional vitality powerhouse by rising its electrification efforts and promoting unhealthy-border vitality integration in East Africa.
With a solid sort out hydropower vogue, the nation is striving now not handiest to meet its domestic electricity seek information from nonetheless also to foster regional cooperation and vitality safety.
In line with Ethiopian Electric Energy (EEP), Ethiopia plans to enlarge national electricity access from basically the most up-to-date 54% to 78% for the duration of the following 5 years. Central to this ambition is the Abbay Dam , a flagship hydropower venture expected to transform the vitality panorama of the build once fully operational.
Abbay Dam, along with diverse indispensable vitality tasks, is designed to toughen Ethiopia’s industrialization agenda, lower dependency on fossil fuels, and promote a greener, extra sustainable economy.
EEP Space Supervisor Tewodros Ayalew emphasised Ethiopia’s dedication to harnessing its abundant hydroelectric sources to toughen now not handiest its grasp snort nonetheless also the event of neighboring worldwide locations.
“With Abbay Dam and other major projects, Ethiopia is ready to export surplus electricity to countries such as Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania–boosting regional energy ties and contributing to shared economic growth,” he acknowledged.
Regional leaders are welcoming this integration Kenyan Electrical energy Transmission Company (KETRACO) Managing Director John Mativo(PhD) recalled that East African countries agreed as early as 2010 on the want for an interconnected energy grid. “The objective was to enable mutual support and efficient use of energy resources across borders,” John acknowledged, noting that building of unhealthy-border transmission infrastructure used to be a key step in realizing this aim.
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Tewodros added that the regional interconnected grid helps lower energy losses and lower infrastructure prices, offering an environment pleasant and collaborative resolution to celebrated vitality management challenges.
KETRACO Regional Engineer Victor Sambula Inganga highlighted the effectiveness of the system, citing the transmission line from Ethiopia to Kenya.
“The electricity received from Ethiopia is stable, with minimal voltage difference, making it highly compatible with our grid. It’s converted through a bushing to alternating current (AC) and then seamlessly integrated into Kenya’s national grid,” he explained.
John extra emphasised that African vogue banks have performed a an crucial aim in financing this unhealthy-border vitality infrastructure. The interconnected system now not handiest enables a various vitality mix -equivalent to Ethiopia’s hydropower and Kenya’s geothermal energybut also ensures sustainable vitality sharing and long-term regional stability.
As Ethiopia continues to scale up its vitality capability and export capabilities, it’s emerging as a key driver of East Africa’s vitality integration, championing a cooperative mannequin that promises to bring both financial and environmental dividends for the build.
BY FIKADU BELAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 2 MAY 2025
