The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd is a 6,450 mw hydropower project nearing completion on the blue nile in ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with sudan. Ethiopias nile dam project signals its intention to. The development of great ethiopian renaissance dam gerd is causing political escalation of tensions between ethiopia and egypt based on current issues and the expectations for requirements that must be met before the completion of the dam construction. Jan 03, 2017 but tensions rekindled in 2011, when ethiopia started the construction of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam near the sudanese ethiopian border. Mar 10, 2014 ethiopian army officials said on february 17, 2014, on the occasion of that countrys army day, that the military was prepared to pay the price to protect the renaissance dam project, since it was a national project and one of the ethiopian peoples most important achievements. Moges, published by journal of water resource and protection, vol. Thousands pay tribute to grand renaissance dam engineer. Jan 24, 2014 ethiopia is building one of the largest dams in the world, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd, on the river nile near the sudan border. Hidase gidib, is a gravity dam on the blue nile river in ethiopia that has been under construction since 2011.
The gerd has an active storage capacity of more than 60,000 mm3 and is anticipated to produce 6000 mw of hydropower energy. Jul 14, 2016 location of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam on the blue nile. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam project, benishangulgumuz. Perspectives of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd yohannes yihdego. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam project salini impregilo. The location of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd, now under construction near ethiopias border with sudan, is shown in red.
The most important aspect of the new ethiopian internal scene is the cold conflict between ethiopian prime minister abiy ahmed and the military institutions and companies, which directly reflected on the construction of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam, where abiy ahmed declared at a press conference late august 2019 that the gerd might not. Salini currently is constructing ethiopias 6,000mw grand ethiopian renaissance dam, which, when commissioned in 2017, will be africas largest and. The dispute begins in ethiopias attempt to regain control of its contributory river, the blue nile, by building the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd. Cctvs girum chala takes a look at what the grand renaissance dam means for ethiopia and. Ethiopia announced in april 2011 that it intends to build four large dams on the nile, including one of the largest in the world, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam formerly known as project x or the grand millennium dam. Ethiopia and eritrea trade accusations over grand dam attack. A general view of ethiopias grand renaissance dam, as it undergoes construction, is seen during a media tour along the river nile in benishangul gumuz region, guba woreda, in ethiopia march 31, 2015. In 2011, ethiopia began constructing the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd on the blue nile in a place called guba, approximately 60 km from sudan and 750 km northwest of addis ababa. The gerd reservoir will cover an area of 1874 km 2 at full supply level of 640 m above mean sea level, with total and active storage volumes of 74 bcm 5.
Cooperative filling approaches for the grand ethiopian. Equally, its special importance emanates from the enormous symbolic value it holds. It and several other large dams in ethiopia could turn the country. Ethiopian authorities say sudans support for the construction of the grand renaissance dam is one of the most important diplomatic and political victory the nation has got since the beginning of. Downstream countries egypt and sudan have expressed concerns over the impacts of the dam on their water supply. It was officiated as the grand ethiopian millennium dam on april 2, the projects inauguration ceremony. Construction workers are seen in a section of ethiopias grand renaissance dam in benishangul gumuz region, guba woreda, ethiopia, march 31, 2015. Apr 22, 2015 map showing the full extent of the nile with its two main branches, the white nile, which flows from lake victoria, and the larger blue nile, which originates in the highlands of ethiopia. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam, when completed, will reduce the capacity of the. Owned and operated by the ethiopian electric power company, the 145mtall rollercompacted concrete gravity dam. Impacts of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam on downstream.
Grand ethiopian renaissance dam dam project, ethiopia. Two site surveys were also carried out in october 2009 and between julyaugust 2010, with the design being submitted in november 2010. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd project is located 700 km northeast of the ethiopian capital of addis abeba, in the benishangul gumaz region, along the blue nile river. By gavin du venage by years end, one of the worlds largest dams will begin filling up, affecting the fate of millions of people as it does so.
Semegnew bekele, 53, was found dead in his car in ethiopias capital, addis ababa. Due to open in 2017, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam will be africas largest hydroelectric power station. As of the summer of 2017, the project is estimated to be 60% complete. Dadsong aenvironmental change institute, university of oxford, uk. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gets set to open.
Seeking reassurances that the dam will not endanger the crucial flow of the nile river, egypt has taken part in round after round of negotiations. The dam will flood 1,680 square kilometers of forest in northwest ethiopia an area about four times the size of cairo, displace approximately 20,000 people in ethiopia, and create a reservoir that. It will generate more than 5250 megawatts of power. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam, a 6,500megawatt hydroelectric power plant being constructed in ethiopia, has been a major point of contention between egypt and its southern neighbors, as the completion of the dam poses serious threats to egypts dwindling water supply and food security. The renaissance dam which we are constructing by joining hands together is among the list of mega projects in africa and the world, becoming a source of our national pride, the ethiopian. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam will facilitate flood protection in the lower areas, irrigation, sediment control and navigation. Future of grand ethiopian renaissance dam after setback. International experts analyze impacts of ethiopian dam mit news. Jul 14, 2014 due to open in 2017, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam will be africas largest hydroelectric power station. Apr 05, 2017 ethiopian authorities say sudans support for the construction of the grand renaissance dam is one of the most important diplomatic and political victory the nation has got since the beginning of. At the end of the works, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam will be the largest dam in africa. According to a government official, the dam has hit th opinion.
Development of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam. It will be the largest hydropower project in africa. Water conflict case study ethiopias grand renaissance dam. Later renamed grand ethiopian hidase dam or grand ethiopian renaissance dam, by the council of ministers on april 20. The project is located approximately 500 km north west of the capital addis ababa, in the region of benishangul gumaz along the blue nile.
Grand ethiopian renaissance dam bameza, ethiopia landmark. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd is a 6000 mw hydropower project on the blue nile, which the ethiopian government plans to build to fulfill the countrys energy needs. The ethiopian electric power company eep is the employer, saliniimpregilo spa the epc contractor and studio pietrangeli srl the designer. Talaqu yeityoppya hidase gidib, formerly known as the millennium dam and sometimes referred to as hidase dam amharic. Assessment of the impact of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam on the performance of the high aswan dam written by asegdew g.
The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd construction continues on the nile river. Now and then, we see biased articles regarding the grand ethiopian renaissance dam. The diversion of the blue nile river through four new culverts is underway. Ethiopia gains more support from sudan over the construction. The 6,000megawatt grand ethiopian renaissance dam, shown here in may 2016, is scheduled to begin producing electricity in 2017. Blue nile, about 20 miles from sudan border dam size. Remote sensing of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam background the site of the dam was identified when the us bureau of reclamation first made a survey of the blue nile river between 1956 to 1964. Managing risks of the grand ethiopian renaissance dam on.
The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd project is one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the world. In 2011, ethiopia began building the grand ethiopian renaissance dam project gerdp on the blue nile river in a place called guba, 60 kilometres from sudan, which hold 74 billion cubic meters bcm storage capacity and about 60 bcm live storage which will produce 6000 mw electric generation. Other articles where grand ethiopian renaissance dam is discussed. Design of grand ethiopian renaissance rcc main dam h175m. A large scale hydropower dam known as grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd is under con struction on the blue nile river just upstream of the ethiopian sudan border in ethiopia. Water conflict case study ethiopias grand renaissance. After reaching a dead end in talks over grand ethiopian. Jun 17, 2016 salini currently is constructing ethiopias 6,000mw grand ethiopian renaissance dam, which, when commissioned in 2017, will be africas largest and the worlds no. Construction of the dam is located in northwest ethiopia. Mar 03, 2017 ethiopia has said members of a separatist rebel group were killed by its army during a failed attack on the site of africas largest hydropower project, the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd. When finished, the gerd will be the largest hydroelectric plant in africa. Built along the blue nile in ethiopia, the megaproject is viewed by egyptians as a major. Turning from conflict to cooperation 5 reference module in earth systems and envi ronmental sciences, 20 15 authors personal copy. The grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd or taihige.
When it is completed it will generate 6000 mega watts of electricity. Trt world and agencies egypt relies on nile resources and believes it has historic rights over the river guaranteed by treaties signed in 1929 and 1959. This huge dam will flood 1,680 square kilometers of forest in northwest ethiopia, near the sudan border, and create a reservoir that is nearly twice as large as lake tana. Assessment of the impact of the grand ethiopian renaissance. The border project which is known now as the grand ethiopian renaissance dam gerd is a hydropower project being built recently on the blue nile abbay river to generate 6,000 mwh of electricity by exploiting the rivers flow which has an average 1,541 m3s of annual water discharge. Ethiopias nile dam project signals its intention to become. Trump meets with egypt, ethiopia, sudan fms about dam feud. The reservoir of the dam will be twice as large as lake tana. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam construction ethiopia. Benefit of grand ethiopian renaissance dam project gerdp. Updated facts grand ethiopian renaissance dam horn affairs. Grand ethiopian renaissance dam international rivers. Background in 2011, ethiopia began building the grand ethiopian renaissance dam project gerdp on the blue nile river in a place called guba, 60 kilometres from sudan, which hold 74 billion.
1507 1338 1105 1096 351 1472 168 692 86 514 331 422 487 1395 1501 603 482 126 610 250 626 1003 212 1348 71 327 1109 331 100 338 891 129 523 580 310 505 527 373 695 1141 939 740