Ethiopia has announced a significant increase in electricity production from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, following the activation of two additional turbines. This development comes amid ongoing tensions with downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, over the dam’s impact on Nile water resources.
The GERD, a multi-billion-dollar project, is now generating 1,550 megawatts of electricity, according to a statement posted on X by the dam’s management late Tuesday. The statement highlighted that the dam has moved from the construction phase to the operational phase, marking the completion of its concrete structure.
The newly operational turbines each produce 400 megawatts, complementing the two existing turbines that generate 375 megawatts each, bringing the total output to 1,550 megawatts. Ethiopia initially began electricity generation at the dam in February 2022, and the GERD is projected to eventually produce over 5,000 megawatts, significantly boosting the country’s current electricity capacity.
Despite Ethiopia’s view of the GERD as crucial for the electrification and development of Africa’s second most populous nation, Egypt and Sudan have expressed concerns. They fear that the dam’s operation without a trilateral agreement could jeopardize their access to essential Nile waters.
