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Ethiopia sets aim for full electrification coverage from currently 58% by 2025

Ethiopia sets aim for full electrification coverage from currently 58% by 2025 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Source: Flickr, CC, By: neiljs)
Alexander Richter 8 Nov 2018

Ethiopia is aiming to achieve full electrification of its country by 2025. With a current rate at around 58%, the country is pushing power generation development with large hydropower and geothermal projects.

The country of Ethiopia aims to increase its electrification coverage across the country from the current 58.13% to 100% by 2025, an Ethiopian official said this week to Xinhua news agency.

Bizuneh Tolcha, Director of Public Relations and Communications Directorate at the Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, said the east African country has already embarked on an eight-year electrification road map from 2017 to 2025, to achieve universal electrification.

“The ministry needs $1.5 billion for the first five years of the universal electrification program and already the World Bank has provided $ 375 million in loans to undertake the electrification scheme,” said Tolcha.

“The universal electrification plan will help Ethiopia achieve lower middle income target by 2025, boost the country’s industrialization ambitions, help create mass employment opportunities for the youth,” he said.

Tolcha also said Ethiopia plans to increase its current 4,280 MW electricity generation capacity to 17,300 MW by 2025, with power generation projects in hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass sectors.

“The biggest project that’s expected to fulfill the 17,300 MW target is the 6,450 MW hydro project being constructed on Blue Nile river at a cost of around $4.7 billion and currently 68 percent complete,” he told Xinhua.

With ongoing work on two geothermal projects and smaller projects, geothermal will also play an important role in achieving this target.

Source: Xinhua Net