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

Sovereign Fund Reviews Mid-Year Performance of Line Companies, Calls for Strategic Improvements

Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) launched its mid-year performance review for its portfolio companies, displaying mixed results for the first half of the fiscal year. Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group (ESIG) reached 95.3pc of its sales goal, selling 64,190tn of sugar for 6.1 billion Br—a 132pc year-on-year growth—despite capacity and supply issues. The Ethiopian Petroleum Supply Enterprise (EPSE) met 92pc and 97pc of its purchase and sales targets, respectively, stating it has benefitt...


Radar

Digital Pay Uptake Booms Among SMEs, Visa Study Finds

Over 80pc of surveyed small- and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have started accepting digital payments in the last two years, according to a new Visa report titled, ‘Value of Acceptance: Understanding the Digital Payment Landscape in Ethiopia'. Citing increased convenience, the report indicates reduced fraud risk and improved efficiency as factors in the uptake. A substantial 66pc of these SMEs believe that investing in digital payment technologies will support future business growth. The...


Radar

ILO Tackles Agricultural Wage Gap

The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the Setting Adequate Wages in Agriculture (SAW-A) Project last week, with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ), seeking to promote fair wage policies, enhance collective bargaining, and support the establishment of minimum wage mechanisms to improve the livelihoods of agricultural workers. The sector employs over 80pc of Ethiopia's workforce, making it the country's largest employment sec...