Over the last fourteen years, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) construction project has reached several significant milestones. From the initial excavation work to the completion of the main dam structure, progress has been steady and impressive. As of the latest reports, the powerhouse and spillway construction are well underway, bringing the project closer to completion.
Recent reports indicate that the GERD construction progress is on track, with the project’s timeline remaining consistent. Despite challenges and delays caused by various factors, the Ethiopian government is committed to seeing the dam as an issue of pre-priority as the reformist government assumed power. As construction continues, engineers and other workers are focused on ensuring the dam meets all safety and efficiency standards.
According to sources, over 65 million Ethiopians do not have access to electricity. Rain fed agriculture on which over 80 percent of the population depends on is increasingly becoming unreliable. Ethiopia does not possess known significant amount of ground water resources or aquifers nor does it have access to sea water for desalination. Famine is a constant threat. Due to climate change, rain is erratic more frequently. With the country’s total energy production of less than 5000 MW and rising energy demand, Ethiopia is suffering from energy insecurity.
Therefore, the completion of the GERD will ensure, increased electricity generation capacity to meet industrial and domestic energy demands, expand economic activities in the fishery, recreation and tourism sectors enhance better employment opportunities as well as it will accelerate structural transformation of Ethiopia’s economy thereby providing opportunity to reduce people living in extreme poverty.
In addition, the realization of the dam will enhance opportunities for economic integration, improve electric energy access to Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan, and Somalia, and elevate foreign currency earnings through export of electricity.
The construction of the GERD was inaugurated in April 2011 by the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The project was made public first as Millennium Dam and finally Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and sometimes shortly referred as Renaissance Dam. The Dam was announced on March 12, 2011; a contract was signed with Salini and foundation stone placed on April 2, 2011.
Moreover, the GERD is financed by the Ethiopian people through a sale of bond and cash contributions. The government employees, business owners, and citizens of Ethiopian origin in the Diaspora participated in the purchase of the bond.
It was planned to have an installed capacity of 6,450MW but recently the installed capacity was revised to 5,150 MW. The expected average annual energy production is 15,700 GWh.
The GERD has the potential to bring significant benefits to Ethiopia and the region as a whole. From increased energy production to improved irrigation systems, the dam will have a positive impact on the local economy and quality of life.
Recently, Public Participation Coordination Office of the dam announced that the construction of the dam has showcased Ethiopians’ capacity and commitment to realizing mega projects.
The Office of National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) – Abbay Dam, Public Relations and Communication Director Hailu Abraham told The Ethiopian Herald that Ethiopians and Ethiopian born Diasporas have been contributing to the success of the construction of the dam through actively participating in fund raisings, public diplomacy activities, bond purchasing and donation among others.
Over the past 13 years, Ethiopians and Diasporas played their part raising over 1.4 billion Birr to enable the construction of the dam reach 95%., he said.
To him, the dam is a national project which vividly showcases sovereignty and independence.
The mega project attested that Ethiopians can achieve anything they plan once they get committed, he stated, adding that the dam also builds country’s image globally in a way that resembles the victory of Adwa.
“Although Ethiopia is never colonized with its sovereign border, but its water resource was not sovereign since it was not utilized for development. Egypt developed a mentality of the sole beneficiary of Nile waters. The construction of the dam would ensure fair utilization. To some extent, the political stance of countries on the project has been showing improvement as the project is in the final phase,” Hailu said.
Due to foreign conspiracy, internal conflict and shortage of budget, the country was challenged for long to launch the project. For different reasons, no country or organization was there to support Ethiopia financially or ideally when it laid the cornerstone of the mega dam, he added.
However, he stressed that the country has now completed 98.9% of the civil works of the dam, withstanding all challenges.
The remaining task is accelerating electromechanical works, Hailu said, adding that the nation still requires that 50 billion Birr to the completion of the dam.
Accordingly, about 5 billion Birr is expected from the general public, he expressed.
He hopped that the days will come to develop Abbay River basin together with Egypt and Sudan.
In sum, since the 1990s Ethiopia has been spearheading the regional effort, in collaboration with all riparian countries, with financial and technical support from the international community to put in place a new basin-wide water governance arrangement that would enable rules-based, equitable, sustainable, cooperative management and development of the Nile water resources that would benefit all while promoting peace and security in the region.
This was pursued through the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and also supporting the negotiations for a new Nile-Basin wide legal regime, namely the Agreement on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework (CFA). Ethiopia tirelessly strove toward the establishment of fairer, more equitable, all-inclusive and multilateral regime in Nile Basin.
The GERD construction progress is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all those involved in this groundbreaking project. As the dam nears completion, its impact on the region will be closely watched and analyzed. No doubt, the GERD embraces tangible role in shaping the future of Ethiopia’s energy infrastructure and brighten the future of Africa.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 2 APRIL 2025
