ETHIOPIA, February 20, 2022 – Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali started up the first turbine of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the large dam in roller compacted concrete (RCC) being built by Webuild on the Blue Nile in the western region of Benishangul-Gumuz in Ethiopia. Once completed, the GERD will be the biggest hydropower dam in Africa and will support the country’s economic development, helping to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025 with the huge production of electricity from renewable sources. The plant will have an installed production capacity of 5,150 MW, able to produce an average 15,700 GWh every year. It is being built by approximately 10,000 people on a yearly average.

Commissioned by Ethiopian Electric Power, the project is valued at €3.48 billion and is 84% complete. Once completed, it will become an energy hub for the region, which is in great need of energy. It will allow the country to generate and export clean and renewable electricity, avoiding the emissions of more than two million tonnes of CO2 a year.