Ethiopia earned $32 m from power exports to Sudan, Djibouti
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
January 21, 2023 (NAIROBI) – Ethiopia earned $32.61 million from exporting electricity to neighboring Sudan and Djibouti, the state power entity announced.
The figure, the Ethiopian Electric Power (EPP) said, was secured during the last five months of the Ethiopian fiscal year, which begins in September.
The EPP is an Ethiopian electrical power industry and state-owned electric producer, engaged in development, investment, construction, operation, and management of power plants, power generation and power transmission. The company is a main key in the Ethiopian energy sector
EPP’s Director of Communications, Moges Mekonen said that a total of 580 million kilowatt hours of electricity has been supplied to the two countries.
He further said the income obtained during the five months has seen a decline by $6.2 million compared to the same period of the previous year.
The decline, according to Mekonen, was due to reduced demand from the Sudanese electricity company. He did not divulged further details.
During the last two years, relations between Sudan and neighbouring Ethiopia have deteriorated over the disputed border region of al-Fashaga.
Ethiopia’s mega-dam project, which is being constructed on the Nile River has also been an intermittent source of tension between the two countries.
Sudan and Egypt fear that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, arguably Africa’s largest dam, would eventually diminish water flow to the downstream countries.
Last year, Ethiopia reportedly earned more than $95 million from electric energy export to the two east African countries.
A combined total of 1,700 GWh of electricity have been exported to Sudan and Djibouti in the previous year, generating $95.45 million in revenue.
About 1,109 GWh of electricity worth $54.66m was reportedly sold to Sudan. Djibouti imported 600 GWh electric energy, paying $40.78 million.
The Horn of Africa is currently investing billions of dollars on the construction of its mega-dam project in a bid to become the regional power hub.
(ST)