Ethiopia has completed the second phase of filling the Great Dam

Thanks to the torrential rains we received recently, today, July 19, the second filling of the Renaissance Dam (abbreviation in English) has been completed, according to the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Seleshi Bekele.

He added that the nation worked hard during the year to reach this point, and now the necessary efforts will be made in order to operate the generators and we will be able to verify this in the coming months.

The water is flowing over the top of the dam and the amount needed to run the turbines has been achieved, so electric power will be generated soon. Congratulations Ethiopia, Bekele explained in a Twitter message.

The notification had many readers, plus it elicited mixed comments and congratulations on other social networks and various media spaces.

Among the congratulatory messages conveyed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who commented that the state is now in a better position to exploit its potential and develop programs focused on inclusive sustainable growth.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen praised the Ethiopians’ contribution to building the reservoir and affirmed the government’s commitment to continue the ongoing reforms with the people.

According to official sources, the water tank in the first stage of filling amounted to 4900 million cubic meters, and in the second round the dam received another 13,500 million.

When fully operational, the project will now be the largest plant in Africa and will benefit some 65 million citizens who currently lack electricity.

Since the construction of the Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile began ten years ago, the Renaissance Dam has caused disputes mainly between Ethiopia and Egypt, and although negotiations began in 2014 with Sudan, they have not yet signed an agreement to determine how to exploit it.

Many details cause opposition, but the main part is about when to fill the tank. Egypt requires it to last more than 12 years and Ethiopia plans to do so in much less than that.

Ja / Raj