Finalizing GERD key priority, says PM Dr Abiy (April 01, 2019)

A review of the status of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) took place by the committees in the presence of Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen.
The review explored the status of the construction the dam, the status of trilateral negotiations, review of Nile Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) and the status of GERD filling, according to office of the Prime Minister.
In summarizing the status of GERD, the Project Manager Engineer Kifle Horo shared that at its current stage, civil work stands at 83%; electromechanical work at 25%; steel work at 13%, with overall project completion status at 66%.
GERD financing has consumed up to 98.7 billion birr to date, indicating an escalation of costs above what was originally estimated, primarily due to project completion delays.
In concluding the session, Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed emphasized that finalizing the dam is a key priority according to the timeline established.
Water, Irrigation, and Energy Minister, Dr Engineer Seleshi Bekele recently told the parliament that the 6,450-MW dam will start energy production in 2020.
GERD is located in Benishangul Gumuz regional state, approximately 500 km north west of the capital Addis Ababa.
Once completed, it will be the largest dam in Africa.