Addis Ababa(WNAM Monitoring): Ethiopia has earned more than 1 billion USD from electric power export to neighboring countries in 18 months, Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Etefa told the Ethiopian News Agency.
In an exclusive interview with the agency, the minister stated that the revenue was generated during the months up until the end of 2015 Ethiopian fiscal year.
According to him, the performance underscores the nation’s burgeoning role as a regional energy powerhouse, catalyzing regional integration.
While acknowledging fluctuations, Habtamu highlighted the growing demand for Ethiopian electricity, with recipient countries witnessing a 15 percent annual surge.
We are successfully supplying energy to Sudan, Djibouti, and Kenya, the minister noted, lauding the pivotal interconnection between Ethiopia and Kenya’s power grids that extend the possibility of exports as far as South Africa via the East African Power Pool.
He further pointed out that “Ethiopia is blessed and conveniently positioned to provide clean, inexpensive electricity without harming the environment, fueling escalating demand.”
With a staggering 93 percent of Ethiopia’s electricity derived from hydropower, the country plans to extend exports to South Sudan, it was learned.
The minister revealed that the nation has also made significant strides domestically, with 4.5 million customers connected to the grid in the past six months alone.
However, challenges persist due to the scattered population with only 52 percent accessing power at present.
The remaining 48 percent residing off-grid necessitates a concerted push towards decentralized solutions, the minister said.
To bridge the gap, the ministry is actively implementing off-grid projects by harnessing solar, wind, biogas, and geothermal energy while promoting clean cooking technologies.
Habtamu disclosed that ambitious initiatives have been underway in Oromia and the Somali regions to leverage solar power until grid connectivity is established in remote localities.
As Ethiopia forges ahead in optimizing its diverse energy portfolio, the nation’s electricity exports emerge as resounding testament to its pivotal role in fostering regional cooperation, economic development, and sustainable growth through renewable energy leadership.
