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Fed Inks Deal to Build Solar Power Plants

Jan 21 , 2023


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Two solar plants with a combined capacity of 500MW will be built following an agreement with Masdar, a UAE-based renewable energy company. Established in 2006 with three shareholders, Masdar, is a UAE-government-owned renewable energy company in Abu Dhabi that develops utility-scale renewable energy projects worldwide. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and UAE Ruler Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan signed an agreement to commence the solar energy system last week. Ethiopia generates most of its electricity from hydropower, with close to 90pc of the 4,500MW generated power coming from dams built and operated by the state. Four months ago, the federal government secured 217 million dollars from the World Bank to generate a 35MW hybrid mini-grid power plant, partially tapping energy from solar sources. The Africa Development Bank (ADB) has also provided 161 million dollars in loans to build 25 mini-grid plants in all regional states, excluding Afar and Gambella regional states. The Prime Minister said the global net zero target offers a tremendous economic opportunity to harness renewable resources, emphasising the country has "unparalleled" renewable energy resources. Ethiopian Investment Holdings will work closely to explore opportunities to work with Masdar in renewable energy, real estate, and agriculture.


Radar

Parliament Receives $237m Development Loan Package

The Council of Ministers forwarded two concessional loan agreements totalling 237.3 million dollars to Parliament for ratification, targeting rural infrastructure and food security. The package includes 46.3 million dollars from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for climate-resilient infrastructure in pastoralist regions. A second credit facility of 191 million dollars (146.1 million SDR) from the International Development Association (IDA) is earmarked for the sixth phase of the Productive Sa...


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MoTRI to Overhaul Consumer Protection Rules Following Cabinet Approval of Trade Policy

The Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), approved Ethiopia's first unified trade policy last week, ending a three-year deliberation period to fill a decades-long regulatory vacuum,. This institutional milestone mandates the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration (MoTRI) to overhaul consumer protection frameworks, specifically requiring a rigorous revision of the Trade Competition and Consumer Protection Proclamation to eliminate market distortions and the prolifera...


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Regional Power Exports Yield $366m as Capacity Hits 9.6GW

Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) generated 365.99 million dollars from regional exports in the first nine months of the fiscal year as national capacity reached 9,579MW. The revenue followed the sale of 24,940GWh, representing 91pc of gross generation. Hydropower remains dominant, providing 9,500MW. To diversify assets and mitigate climate risks, the utility integrated the 100MW Asela Wind Power Project. The transmission network has expanded to 148,600km to secure domestic industrial supply and...