Addis Ababa: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has huge potential to become a cornerstone for both Ethiopian economic development and regional integration, Addis Ababa University Associate Professor Yacob Arsano told ENA.
The associate professor, who noted the lack of water resources and electricity plaguing most of Ethiopia’s neighboring countries, said Ethiopia’s hydropower generation is crucial in meeting the nation’s domestic energy needs.
Looking beyond Ethiopia’s borders, Yacob envisioned GERD as a bridge for regional economic cooperation.
The dam, he explained, could foster collaboration among countries by paving the way for lasting peace and sustainable development throughout the East Africa region.
Ethiopia’s abundant water resources, if harnessed effectively, could position the country as a hub for electricity distribution across Africa and the Middle East, the scholar elaborated.
The associate professor further contrasted this with the environmental concerns surrounding nuclear power,
a source of energy used by some developed nations.
According to him, Ethiopia’s focus on clean, renewable energy generation from GERD positions it to become a future leader in electricity supply for neighboring countries.
He emphasized the importance of Ethiopians working together to achieve this goal.
Recall that Ethiopia achieved four successful fillings of the GERD reservoir, which currently holds 42 billion cubic meters of water.
The dam’s two turbines are generating 750 megawatt, and construction is nearing completion.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency