The current coverage is a massive rise from 1991, when only 8% of the country had access to electricity. Since then, the number of towns and rural villages with a power supply rose from 320 to over 6000, and current power generation is now 2140MW, up from 370MW.
In order to meet growing power demands, a number of projects are currently under construction in various parts of the country. These include the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the River Abbay (the Blue Nile), which will have an installed capacity of 6000MW and the Gibe III on the Omo River which will produce 1870MW. These projects, along with the wind farms in Ashegoda and Adama in Tigray and Oromia states, respectively, will enable the country to meet local demand and raise electric coverage by 2015.
Ethiopia is focusing on developing the country’s hydroelectric potential to both meet domestic demand and increase exports of electricity and make the sector a major foreign currency earner for the country.
