Ethiopia has announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), located on the Blue Nile near the Sudanese border. Launched in 2011, GERD is the largest hydropower plant in Africa and began generating electricity in 2022. Once fully operational, the dam is expected to generate over 5 GW of electricity—more than double Ethiopia’s current power production—potentially turning the country of 120 million people into a net energy exporter. The dam is supported by a massive reservoir with a storage capacity of 74 bcm.
Ethiopia views the project as essential for meeting its growing electricity demand, particularly as around 45% of the population still lacks access to electricity. However, the dam has been a source of regional tension, with Egypt and Sudan expressing concerns over its impact on their Nile water supply, which both countries depend on. Despite years of delays and complex negotiations, Ethiopia now moves toward the final commissioning phase. The official inauguration of GERD is scheduled for September 2025.
As of the end of 2023, Ethiopia had an installed electricity capacity of approximately 5.7 GW, with hydropower accounting for 85% (about 4.8 GW) of that total.