May 20, 2015 – The GERD project (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam), Salini Impregilo’s most challenging fast-track project, was part of a recent report by France 24. 

The site is located 700 kilometers northwest of the capital Addis Ababa along the Blue Nile and the impounded reservoir will cover an area of 1,874 square kilometers. Once completed, it will be the biggest dam in Africa and produce 6,000 MW of electricity for the country and its neighbours. 

In an interview with the English-language version of the news channel, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said his country was living a “green” rebirth. This is partly thanks to the GERD, where 9,000 people are working at full speed to complete the project by 2017. The dam will enable Africa’s second most populous country– where 77% of its people don’t have access to electricity and other basis services – to power its growth with the production of renewable energy. Ethiopia has the aim of becoming carbon- neutral by 2015 as it works towards becoming a regional economic power.