- The project reaches 47 percent
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP) announced that Aisha II wind farm power project will start trial level power generation through the installed eight turbines in about two months.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Moges Mekonen Public Relation Director with EEP said that the preliminary activity is smoothly underway to generate trial energy. Subsequently, it will help to increase government’s power supply capacity for its nation.
As to him, electric line installation, substation, switchyard works and tower developing of the turbines are under the final stages while the box foundation work of each turbine was completed. Completion of linkage to national power grid is also the activity which has been done in order to operate power generation.
He also said that, the project will have a total of 48 turbines on which each one of them has a capacity to generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity. Totally, it will generate 120 megawatts. Coupled with starting pilot power generation, the rest turbines will be installed to complete the overall project, he noted.
He further explained that the project is found some 700 kilometers east of the Addis Ababa in Shenelle area of Somali State. It is the fourth wind farm project for the country. Ethiopia is generating 324 megawatts from Adama I, Adama II and Ashegoda wind farms, he added.
According to Tarekegn Kelemu, General Manager of the project, the total performance of the project reaches around 47 percent. Due to lack of underground water around the project and some delta from the flood by last winter, the construction was supposed to be delayed. Accordingly, program revision is being prepared to complete the project recently and ardently.
It was learnt that USD 257.3 million was budgeted for the project. While Chinese Exim bank covered 85 percent of the stated amount, the balance was covered by the Ethiopian government.
The Ethiopian Herald January 11/2020
BY HIZKEL HAILU
