Despite ongoing disputes between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project, the government of Sudan reportedly submitted a formal request to purchase 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced.
According to the state-owned enterprise, experts drawn both from Ethiopia and Sudan are consulting and reviewing Sudan’s latest request to purchase electricity.
EEP Corporate Planning Executive Officer, Andualem Siae on Thursday August 5, 2021 told local media outlets that various African countries, including Sudan, have expressed their interest to purchase electricity from Ethiopia.
According to the EEP, experts from Ethiopia have recently traveled to Sudan to discuss over the matter while Sudanese counterparts are expected to arrive here in Addis Ababa shortly.
A top official at the EEP confirmed to The Reporter that Sudanese’s government officials made the request. He, however, declined to state the details on the issue and identify the Ethiopian source of electric power that would provide Sudan the electricty. He declined to comment if the power output to be purchased is generated from the GERD or not.
Similarly, South Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti have also expressed their interest in purchasing electric power from Ethiopia and negotiations are underway, Andualem underscored.
The construction of a 500-Kilowatt transmission line is nearing completion and members of the Kenyan parliament will visit Ethiopia next week to discuss the issue, Andualem stated. Beyond Kenya, Ethiopia has built transmission line infrastructure that could carry 2,000 megawatts to Tanzania and up to South Africa, he revealed.
Furthermore, East Africa Power Policy has conducted a study that enables Somaliland to get power from Ethiopia with the support of the World Bank. South Sudan has, for its part, expressed desire to purchase power, Andualem said, adding, a team of experts will soon travel to South Sudan to conduct a study on the construction of the power line.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) benefits not only Ethiopia but also Africa, Andualem noted, and added that the current demand for electricity from these sisterly countries shows their great expectation from the dam.
