Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ
The main dam after full filling in August 2024
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is located in Ethiopia
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
Location of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ in Ethiopia
Official name
  • Amharic: ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ
  • Tigrinya: ግድብ ሕዳሰ ኢትዮጵያ
  • Oromo: Hidha Guddicha Haaromsa Itoophiyaa
CountryEthiopia
LocationGuba, Benishangul-Gumuz Region
Coordinates11°12′55″N 35°05′35″E / 11.21528°N 35.09306°E / 11.21528; 35.09306
PurposePower
StatusUnder construction
Construction began2 April 2011
Opening date21 July 2020; 4 years ago (21 July 2020)[1]
Construction costUS$5 billion
Owner(s)Ethiopian Electric Power
Dam and spillways
Type of damGravity, roller-compacted concrete
ImpoundsBlue Nile River
Height155 m (509 ft)[2]
Length1,780 m (5,840 ft)
Elevation at crest655 m (2,149 ft)
Dam volume10,400,000 m3 (13,600,000 cu yd)
Spillways1 gated, 2 ungated
Spillway type6 sector gates for the gated spillway
Spillway capacity14,700 m3/s (520,000 cu ft/s) for the gated spillway
Reservoir
CreatesMillennium Reservoir
Total capacity74×10^9 m3 (60,000,000 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity59.2×10^9 m3 (48,000,000 acre⋅ft)
Inactive capacity14.8×10^9 m3 (12,000,000 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area172,250 km2 (66,510 sq mi)
Surface area1,874 km2 (724 sq mi)
Maximum length246 km (153 mi)
Maximum water depth140 m (460 ft)
Normal elevation640 m (2,100 ft)
Power Station
Operator(s)Ethiopian Electric Power
Commission date2022–?[3]
Typehydropower
Turbines
Installed capacity
  • 1550 MW (operational)
  • 5.15 GW (final)[4]
Capacity factor28.6%
Annual generation15.76 TWh (est., planned)[5]
Website
www.hidasse.gov.et

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD or TaIHiGe; Amharic: ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ, romanizedTālāqu ye-Ītyōppyā Hidāsē Gidib, Tigrinya: ግድብ ሕዳሰ ኢትዮጵያ, Oromo: Hidha Haaromsaa Guddicha Itoophiyaa[6]), formerly known as the Millennium Dam and sometimes referred to as the Hidase Dam (Amharic: ሕዳሴ ግድብ, romanizedHidāsē Gidib, Oromo: Hidha Hidāsē), is a gravity dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. The dam is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 14 km (9 mi) east of the border with Sudan.[7][8]

Constructed between 2011 and 2023, the dam's primary purpose is electricity production to relieve Ethiopia's acute energy shortage and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. With a planned installed capacity of 5.15 gigawatts when completed, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa [9] and among the 20 largest in the world.[10][11][12]

The first phase of filling the reservoir began in July 2020 and in August 2020 the water level increased to 540 meters (40 meters higher than the bottom of the river which is at 500 meters above sea level).[1][13] The second phase of filling was completed on 19 July 2021, with water levels increased to around 575 meters.[14] The third filling was completed on 12 August 2022 to a level of 600 metres (2,000 ft).[15] The fourth filling was completed on 10 September 2023 with water levels at around 625 metres (2,051 ft).[16]

On 20 February 2022, the dam produced electricity for the first time, delivering 375 MW to the grid.[3] A second 375 MW turbine was commissioned in August 2022.[17] The third and fourth 400 MW turbines were commissioned in August 2024.[18]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bbcnews-celebrations was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference hidasse-aboutdam was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Ethiopia starts generating power from River Nile dam". BBC News. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference eza was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference poma was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Hidha Haaromsaa Guddicha Itoophiyaa 'Adwaa Lammaffaa' lammiilee Itoophiyaa tokkoomse". BBC News Afaan Oromoo (in Oromo). Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Ethiopia's biggest dam to help neighbours solve power problem". News One. 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  8. ^ Roussi, Antoaneta (10 October 2019). "Nations Clash over Giant Nile Dam". Nature. 574 (7777): 159–60. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-02987-6. PMID 31595068. S2CID 203929162.
  9. ^ "The bitter dispute over Africa's largest dam". The Economist.
  10. ^ "Ethiopia: GERD Increases Generation Capacity". allAfrica. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Salini will build the biggest dam in Africa". Salini Construttori. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  12. ^ Ahmed, A. T.; Elsanabary, M. H. (13 March 2015). "Hydrological and Environmental Impacts of Grand Renaissance Dam on the Nile River" (PDF). Sharm El Sheikh– Egypt: Eighteenth International Water Technology Conference (CNKI). Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference tractebel-20200910 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "People's Dam Impounded, GERD-Locked Diplomacy, and Egypt's Red Line for a Non-Deferent Ethiopia". Geopolitics Press. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference aljazeera22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference reuters23 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Ethiopia announces that second turbine in GERD is in operation". Africanews. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  18. ^ "GERD: Two More Turbines Start Commercial Operations". Ethiopian Monitor. 25 August 2024.