Ashgoda Wind Farm Blows Back to Life After Civil War Hiatus

Mar 11 , 2024


Ashgoda Wind Power Station in Tigray Regional State has rekindled its turbines after a three-year lull, marking an addition to the country's renewable energy mix. Kahse Tsehay, the station head, attributed the power plant's dormancy to the conflict that plagued the region for the past three years. This unfortunate situation not only halted electricity generation but also resulted in damage to critical equipment. According to Kahse, the wind farm's generating units lay idle for an extended period, causing wear and tear on turbine unit batteries, the main control unit equipment, distribution station battery chargers, and the oil and grease fluids. Despite these challenges, he said commendable efforts at the site have yielded positive results where ongoing maintenance work has already enabled the station to generate an average of 24.4MW of electricity. Ashgoda boasts 54 three-bladed and 30 two-bladed wind turbines. Maintainance of 22 three-bladed turbines has been completed, with inspections and servicing currently underway for an additional five. However, the path to full capacity is not without its hurdles. Kahse pinpointed delayed procurement of spare parts, manpower shortage and water supply issues as obstacles hindering the progress of operation and maintenance activities.


Radar

Tech Ministry Falters as Audits Expose Mismanagement, Unmet Ambitions

The Ministry of Innovation & Technology is under scrutiny after an audit revealed lapses in project management and financial oversight. This raised questions about governance standards within a Ministry central to the country's tech-driven growth ambitions. According to the Federal Auditor General, the Ministry has completed only 11pc of its planned projects with its overall financial administration standing at 37.4pc for a year-long project that commenced in 2022. Budget mismanagement an...


Radar

Central Bank Keeps Lending Lid Tight as Inflation Squeezes Economy

The Central Bank has reaffirmed its decision to maintain an 18pc cap on credit growth, reinforcing a commitment to tighter monetary policy during persistent inflation and economic uncertainty. The National Bank of Ethiopia's (NBE) monetary policy committee cited ongoing concerns over inflation, which stood at 19.9pc year-on-year (YoY), and liquidity imbalances as reasons to uphold the restriction on lending. Bankers and analysts interpret this move as evidence of regulators' determination to...


Radar

Ethio Telecom Expands Services with DStv Streaming

Ethio telecom enters the entertainment pool with bundled DStv streaming services through high-speed broadband internet and mobile data packages. The partnership with MultiChoice Ethiopia aspires to merge the telecom's fiber broadband and mobile network with DStv's content. Subscribers can access DStv channels through mobile data or fiber broadband bundles, with discounts of up to 35pc through Telebirr or My Ethiotel (*999#) and up to 26.5pc at sales centers for fiber broadband bundles. Acc...