Ethiopia’s mega dam third phase water filling completes

The third round of filling water in the reservoir of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has completed today capturing close to 22 billion cubic meters of water.

The second turbine, which generates 270 megawatts of electricity, also started generating electricity this week. Currently 95 of the civil works of GERD is completed, while 61 percent of the electromechanical fabrication and works has completed, according to Eng. Kifle Hora, Project Manager of GERD who on Thursday briefed visitors including prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Ethiopian President Sahle-work Zewde at the power generation commencement of the second turbine. He also stated that 73 percent of the works related to water passage of the dam is completed.



With regards to the overall work of the GERD project 83.3 percent is completed, according to Eng. Kifle Hora who noted that over the past three years the central height of the dam has increased from 25 matters to 100 meters.

By completing the overall project of GERD, Ethiopia is expecting to generate 515,000 megawatts electricity from the mega dam built on the transboundary river of Abay, which flows to the Nile River, according to Eng. Kifle.



Though there were opposition from downstream countries, namely Sudan and Egypt, which need to equally benefit from this gift. Ethiopia has managed to fill a total of around 22 billion cubic metric of water in the GERD reservoir.

In his message today Prime Minister Abiy, who described the Abay River as a blue gold,  indicated that a total of 70 islands are created as a result of GERD project. He further noted that Abay River is the gift of the creator to Ethiopia. It is also the free gist of the creator for Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt. It is also a gift to the rest of the world as it is a tourist attraction for the rest of the world.