Ethiopia is set to begin the construction of a mega nuclear power plant in a month’s time, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Ahmed said the nuclear power plant would be “equal to the GERD” in its scale and significance.
The government of Ethiopia decided to go for nuclear energy and signed a cooperation agreement with Russia in 2017.
The country now has about 5 GW of installed capacity for a population of more than 120 million whose demand for power is growing at about 20 percent a year.
The hydro dominated systems have been severely affected by drought, and the government of Ethiopia is now working to diversify the generation mix with other sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear that will result in a more climate resilient power system.
PM Ahmed also announced the imminent construction of a massive new airport for Ethiopian Airlines, which is set to become Africa’s largest aviation hub.
With an initial capacity to handle 60 million passengers annually, the airport is a key component of Ethiopia’s strategy to solidify its role as a leader in continental air transport and logistics.
He said the country’s first gas factory is scheduled to be inaugurated in the coming weeks, and within the same period, a second gas plant, more than ten times larger, will begin construction.
In addition, an oil refinery, which the prime minister said would “turn our long-held dream of extracting oil into reality,” is slated to start operations in less than a month.
MG/as/APA