Decades after the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) started and is nearing its completion, some parties would like to question the final effectiveness of the project. In the beginning, nobody expected that the project would continue to materialize. When it reached mid-way and started to fill the reservoir with water, the smear campaign continued with an updated version of casting suspicion. And now as it has already started generating power with some of its turbines, the unrelenting efforts of smearing the dam have continued but to no avail.
As always stated, it is an iconic project that is anticipated to play a significant role in the political and economic transformation of the country. Any attempt to cast and spread suspicion on the effectiveness of the project or the later operation of the plant proves futile in many ways.
Even though GERD is the biggest hydropower plant in the country it is not the first or the only one of its type either to the country, to the continent or the world. Ethiopia alone has approximately 11 large hydropower dams with an annual energy production capacity of 14,296.7 GWh. It is designed, engineered, constructed and supervised by the same experienced firms, or contractors that have ever accomplished the designing and construction of similar and even more complex projects whose works have already gone operational and have proved effective.
If at all any difference is observed, what makes the construction process of the GERD is that it is being executed with the latest technology available in the world and is as such enjoying a latecomer’s advantage in terms of quality design and implementation. No matter how long the construction period took, it’s considered rather fruitful compared with the delay other mega projects face. It is fortunate in terms of rectifying the challenges it faced and resuming the process.
It is known that the dam has shown its capability of storing the required volume of water as it has contained water during the last four rounds of annual water filling without causing any problems on itself as well as the downstream riparian.
Now that all the series of scaremongering around the dam is being disproved, the last resort is to brag about the sedimentation of silts as well as other environmental issues. The first thing that is clear for everyone from day 1 of the construction of such mega projects is the likelihood of sedimentation or formation of silt which is natural to any activity that involves water. If not possible to avoid siltation, it is possible to lessen the amount, minimize the impact as well and take periodic preventive measures which are usual in many other similar plants. But it is too naïve to mention the possibility of such environmental problems as big issues as such to talk about disrupting such a large infrastructure whose significance can never be compared with the possible pitfalls mentioned.
It is also important to notice that the country has years of experience in basin development along the other projects where there is a concerted activity of preventing the impact of environmental issues like deforestation, flooding … etc. Similar basin development and environmental protection activities have also been underway around the Nile basin since the inception that mitigates the environmental problems against the dam.
The hardest part of the work was breaking the political and economic shackles that hampered the utilization of Abbay for electric power. This is now possible with the joint efforts of the leaders and the commitment of the people. Now that the project is almost a reality, the other issue left for the ill speakers is criticizing the distribution of the power. But once electric power is generated at the plant there is no difference in distributing it as it can join the already operational grid and enhance the nation’s power supply. The electricity generated at the hydroelectric facility will be stepped up to 500kV and transmitted through overhead lines connecting to a 500kV double bus-bar switchyard located downstream on the right river bank.
What is happening around the overall process of the construction and operation of the dam is as the saying goes “The dogs bark, but the camel keeps going”. The dam has never faced any challenge since its launching and nothing is likely to hamper it from lighting the houses of the energy-hungry population of Ethiopia and neighboring countries.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2024
