Ethiopia's GERD reaches full generation as grid exports climb
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is now feeding all 13 turbines, reshaping power markets from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.
Yasmin Abdi·Addis Ababa·
Addis Ababa — Ethiopia declared full generation capacity at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam this week, more than a decade after construction began on the Blue Nile. All 13 turbines are producing, with installed capacity above 5,000 megawatts.
Cross-border sales to Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan and Tanzania are already rising, and officials say a new interconnector to Somalia is under study. Egypt has again voiced concern over downstream flow assurances.
Domestically, the government is under pressure to translate exports into cheaper power for households still facing rolling blackouts.