Ethiopia earns $41 million from electricity export to Djibouti and Sudan

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Within just half of the fiscal year, Ethiopia has announced $41 million in profits following electric power export to the neighboring Djibouti and Sudan, a statement by the Ethiopian Electric Power [EEP] confirmed, as the country walks on the path of being one of most dependable power producer in Africa.

Ethiopia recently filled the Grand Renaissance Dam along the Blue Nile much to the detriment of both Sudan and Egypt which had contested the mega project which was dear to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's philosophy. The dam has started generating power across the region.

Accoding to EEP, the income obtained in the past 6 months from electric power export covers 89 percent of the initial target for the aforementioned period. Djibouti and Sudan have been struggling with power production according statistics, thus the importance of the Ethiopian market.

Moges Mekonnen, the Communication Director for EEP, said the state corporation was able to collect $21.4 million from power export to Djibouti, surpassing the $19.9 million target within half of the 2022/23 fiscal year. Djibouti was projected to be the biggest consumer of Ethiopian power.

Whereas, the Official said that EEP was targeting to earn 24.5 million US dollars from the electric power export to Sudan in that period, but only 18.3 million USD was obtained, reports the state-owned Fana.

He recalled that the electric power sale to Kenya has started recently, but it will continue on a trial period for some time. However, the total figure of income from power export is expected to increase once the regular electric power sale to Kenya commences after completing its experimetal period.

The director further said 54.5 million Birr income was obtained by renting optical fiber to Ethio Telecom, Safaricom Ethiopia and WebSprix IT Solutions. He further revealed that EEP has plans to sell electric power worth 9.3 billion birr to Ethiopian Electric Utility, high power user firms, and Ethio-Djibouti Railway Corporation.

Ethiopia is just fresh from Tigray war which left thousands of people dead and many services including electricity supply cut off in the northern region. But the news about export further brings hope to Tigray which had been disconnected from the national grid in the last two years.

GAROWE ONLINE