By Kaleyesus Bekele
The Ethiopian Government is holding talks with executives of the World Bank to secure funding for a new hydro-power project planned to be built in the Oromia Regional State, Wellega Zone, Harbelo locality.
In an exclusive interview
with The Reporter, Dr. Debretsion G. Michael, board chairman of the Ethiopian
Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), said that his government is trying to
secure a fund for the construction of the Harbelo hydro-power plant that will
have an installed generation capacity of 450 MW.
Dr. Debretsion said EEPCo has a plan to build two more dams on the Nile in Kara Dobi and Mendiya localities. “We have been undertaking the studies and we will continue doing the research. We will embark on these projects after we finalise the Great Renaissance Dam,” he said.
“We will launch the construction of the Kara Dobi and Mendiya hydro-power projects after completing the Great Renaissance Dam. Our primary focus for the time being is to make available enough funding for the Great Renaissance Dam project. But we will have Tekeze II, Gibe IV, Gibe V projects.”
Speaking of the challenges facing his government in securing funds for hydro-power projects, Debretsion said that there are the possibilities that the government can secure loans from the Chinese government. He said other countries like South Korea and Brazil are also making funds available for hydro-power projects. “Since we are working on many hydro-power projects we do not want to rely only on one country. We will try to secure funds from China, Brazil, South Korea, India and even from the World Bank. The World Bank has very stringent regulations over environmental issues. They sometimes ask exaggerated questions. But if we can work with the World Bank on certain projects, then we will work with China, South Korea, Brazil and India on other projects.”
The Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)-led government has augmented the country’s electric generation capacity remarkably. When EPRDF came to power by ousting the Derg, the country’s total generation capacity was a meager 400 MW. This has been raised to 2100 MW. The government plans to further boost it to 8000-10,000 MW.
Dr. Debretsion said EEPCo has a plan to build two more dams on the Nile in Kara Dobi and Mendiya localities. “We have been undertaking the studies and we will continue doing the research. We will embark on these projects after we finalise the Great Renaissance Dam,” he said.
“We will launch the construction of the Kara Dobi and Mendiya hydro-power projects after completing the Great Renaissance Dam. Our primary focus for the time being is to make available enough funding for the Great Renaissance Dam project. But we will have Tekeze II, Gibe IV, Gibe V projects.”
Speaking of the challenges facing his government in securing funds for hydro-power projects, Debretsion said that there are the possibilities that the government can secure loans from the Chinese government. He said other countries like South Korea and Brazil are also making funds available for hydro-power projects. “Since we are working on many hydro-power projects we do not want to rely only on one country. We will try to secure funds from China, Brazil, South Korea, India and even from the World Bank. The World Bank has very stringent regulations over environmental issues. They sometimes ask exaggerated questions. But if we can work with the World Bank on certain projects, then we will work with China, South Korea, Brazil and India on other projects.”
The Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)-led government has augmented the country’s electric generation capacity remarkably. When EPRDF came to power by ousting the Derg, the country’s total generation capacity was a meager 400 MW. This has been raised to 2100 MW. The government plans to further boost it to 8000-10,000 MW.
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