April 22, 2006
dpa
Addis Ababa – The Republic of Djibouti signed Saturday a power interconnection agreement for the supply of electricity from neighbouring Ethiopia.
The project, to be carried out in the next four years, is to cost 535 million birr (61.7 million dollars), with Addis Ababa to cover the costs.
The agreement was signed by Mehret Debebe, General Manager of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, and Jamma Ali Gele, general manager of the Electric Company of Djibouti.
Mehret said the electric power supply agreement would contribute significantly to expanding trade relations between Ethiopia and Djibouti. Gele said the project was of benefit to both countries.
The project entails a 283-kilometre 230 kilovolt line from Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation’s main grid distribution at the city of Dire Dawa, 500 kilometres east of Addis Ababa, to the border with Djibouti. A remaining 82-kilometre stretch will run from the border to the Port of Djibouti.
The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009.
Ethiopia is currently building three power dams with a total generating capacity of 1,150 MW, to be completed by 2010.
The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation said the generation of additional power from the three power dams currently under construction would enable the country to earn hard currency from the export of power to neighbouring Djibouti, Kenya and the Sudan.
Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur, April 22, 2006
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