Ethiopia Opens Hydroelectric Dam
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By Tayo Adelaja
Published: January 18, 2010
Ethiopia Opens Hydroelectric Dam
Tayo Adelaja
Ethiopia has officially inaugurated its largest hydroelectric dam on the Omo River. The 407 million US dollar project was partly financed by the Italian government and is capable of producing 420 megawatts of electricity. But critics have expressed concerns over the consequences of the dam on the environment and on local people living along the river. Ethiopia suffered from energy shortages in 2009 that damaged economic activity, particularly in Addis Ababa. The government’s current priority is to speed up development and turn the country into a major electricity exporter. The next dam planned on the Omo River is expected to produce 1,800 megawatts of energy.
