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EEPCO striving to meet growing demand of electricity

Saturday, 12 January 2008

The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) said it is striving to meet growing electric power demand, which stands at about 2.55 percent. Public relation head with EEPCO, Sendeku Araya told ENA that the corporation is undertaking various hydro electric power development projects in various parts of the country. Sendeku said Gilgel Ghibe II, Tekeze, Beles, Gilgel Ghibe III, Finchaia -Merti Neshe hydro power stations and a wind turbine projects that can collectively generate 3,270 MW are being undertaken. EEPCO is aggressively implementing Universal Electricity Access Program (UEAP) launched by the government to increase the national electric access from 17 per cent to 50 per cent since 2005, he said. He said national electric access has now reached 22 percent. The head said so far 1,657 rural towns are electrified, he added. According to the corporation’s five-year strategic plan, per-capita energy consumption is about 35 KWH/Yr on average while the minimum level of consumption per capita for reasonable quality of life considered to be 500KWH/Yr. Though, Ethiopia is the second top African nations in hydro power potential, it has not been able to exploit the resources for various reasons.

 

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