Commentary

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), under construction on the Blue Nile within Ethiopia, is 73% complete, and began reservoir filling in July 2020. A few months following the filling, Ethiopia aims to undertake power generation testing using two turbines (out of a planned total of 13 when it reaches full capacity). Upon completion, Ethiopia aspires to generate 5150 MW of electricity, making the GERD the largest hydroelectric power plant on the African continent. The cost of the project is fully funded by Ethiopia without any foreign aid or loans. When in operation, the GERD is projected to provide 65 million Ethiopians with access to electricity and support Ethiopia’s development endeavours directly as a source of revenue through energy exports to neighbouring countries, and indirectly as a critical input for industrialisation. However, the two riparian countries downstream, Egypt and Sudan, have expressed various degrees of concern, and in some cases open hostility, towards the project.