Ethiopia is targeting energy access for all its citizens by 2025. The country, which currently has an electrification rate of 58%, intends to implement important hydroelectric and geothermal projects in order to achieve this goal.

BizunehTolcha, the director of public relations of the Ministry of Irrigation, Water and Energy, told Xinhua, “The ministry will need $1.5 billion over the first five years of the implementation of the universal electrification program. The World Bank has already provided $375 million in loans to support this electrification program.”

Achieving this goal means that the country will need to increase power from the current 4,280 MW to more than 17,300 MW by 2025, with help from new hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass projects.

One of those planned projects is the construction of the Grande Renaissance hydropower plant. The hydropower plant has a projected capacity of 6,450 MW. The dam is one of the major projects to increase the country’s electricity capacity. The $4.7 billion implementation cost infrastructure is already 68% complete.