Hydro-electric dams in Ethiopia
Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) is set to build two hydro-electric dams in Ethiopia on the Genale-Dawa and Dabus rivers at a cost of US$50.2m.
On completion the two hydro-electric dams in Ethiopia will generate a total capacity of 672MW of power. The generated power will be contributed to the existing national grid which is at 5,000MW of power.
Genale-Dawa River is not the first dam project estimated to cost US$20.6m. However, the project fund has been secured from the Chinese Exim bank. Additionally, the Genale Dawa III dam project is 80% complete.
Nonetheless, the new Genale Dawa dam VI is expected to generate 248MW of power. On the other hand the remaining 424MW will be generated from the Dabus River, a north-flowing tributary of the Abay River in the southwestern region of Ethiopia.
According to EEP Communications Director, Miskir Negash, beginning this year, the projects are expected to be completed within a period of 4 years, adding that evaluation of pre-qualified construction companies and selection of contractors is near conclusion.
The perennial 858km Genale-Dawa River connects Ethiopia and Somalia with approximately half of its total length running through the mountainous typology in Bale. Genale Dawa River has the third largest catchment area, 74kmsq, with an annual discharge of 6,000,000,000m3.
The river has an estimated hydro-power generation capacity of 9,300GWh per annum. But, the river is expected to contribute about 5.8% of the country’s total estimated potential.
Underground powerhouse
The Genale-Dawa project will include 16.5km of tunnels and underground powerhouse, spillway with side channel, crest length of 650m with a maximum dam height of 60m. The project will as well be constructed as an Asphalt Core Rock Fill Dam (ACCRAD) designed to have two vertical Francis Turbines of 125.4mw each.
A 400kv, 75km long, transmission line is also included in the project design. The transmission line will extend from the Genale-Dawa VI to the nearest substation at Genale-Dawa III where the generated power will be connected to the national grid.
Genale-Dawa III dam will regulate the US$13.7m Genale-Dewa V project downstream river flows to ensure that the river is able to produce reliable power.
