- EEU invests 1.7 bln Birr
ADDIS ABABA – The Tigray State Electric Utility said the restoration of war-damaged power lines and other electric infrastructure is set to be completed in the coming June.
The Utility’s CEO Mesfin Geberemedhin told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) has allocated 1.7 billion Birr to repair Tigray’s electric infrastructure that was severely damaged by the past war in the state. The war has damaged the electric infrastructure built across Tigray but efforts have been made to overcome the problems and ensure the service provision.
While the replacement of wooden electric poles with concrete ones is well underway, the utility has formed a close partnership with the EEU to complete the rehabilitation of the damaged power lines and to restore the disconnected system.
The CEO also stated that the utility has managed to erect 11, 000 concrete poles out of the 16,000 in plan and to install a significant length of power lines and make the infrastructure ready to transfer electricity.
Along with this, the utility has been building electrical infrastructure in 33 districts of Tigray and has carried out consolidated activities to fill the state’s electric service provision gaps.
According Mesfin, a total of 38 electrical sites have been damaged due to the war including big projects in Axum, Shire, Adigrat, Edaga Hamus, Wukero Tsgereda, Mayechew, Adi Shuhu, and others.
Moreover, the limited availability of concrete poles remains a serious problem that is hindering to expediting of the restoration activities. “To address such challenges, we have formed a strong collaboration with the EEU,” he remarked.
Due to the prevalence of relative peace in Tigray, consolidated efforts have been made to restore essential infrastructure including electric lines that were damaged by war.
MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2024
