Ethiopia to electrify 1,714 rural towns, villages

August 26, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — The state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) said Sunday it will electrify 1, 714 rural towns and villages during the current budget year, starting on July 8.

Sendeku Araya, head of public relations with the corporation, told journalists that the corporation has launched activities at a cost of 15 billion birr (1.67 billion U.S. dollars) that will benefit 350,000 customers.

The sum was secured from the budget EEPCo set aside for rural electrification and international aid agencies, among others, he said.

He said at present power service coverage has increased to 22 percent of the country’s 80 million population, adding that the government is planning to increase the figure to 32 percent.

Sendeku said the corporation will further strengthen the construction of the Tekeze, Gilgel Gibe Hulut and Fincha hydropower projects, among others.

EEPCo is a company responsible for power generation, transmission, distribution and sales of electricity all over the nation.

Official data show Ethiopia has economically exploitable hydropower potential of more than 30,000 MW. Despite Ethiopia’s huge hydroelectric potential, the exploitation rate is only about 2 percent.

(Xinhua)