Genale Dawa Dam Starts Pilot

Dec 7 , 2019


[ssba-buttons]

Genale Dawa III hydropower project, which is located in southeast Ethiopia 630Km from the capital, began pilot generation with one of the three turbines it had last Wednesday. The turbine is expected to start giving service by supplying power for the project site. Each turbine has an installation capacity of 84.7MW. Chinese Exim Bank has financed 60pc of the project, while the Ethiopian government covers the rest. The project has been delayed for five years due to the compensation issue, according to Moges Mekonnen, communications director of Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP). Once the dam becomes fully operational, it will have an installed capacity of 254MW power and will produce 1,640GWh annually. The dam is expected to be fully operational in January 2019. Currently, EEP operates and maintains more than 12 hydropower and three wind power plants. These plants generate 4,290MW of power. “The country's power demand increases by up to 13pc annually,” Moges said. The dam has the longest water passing cave in the country, which is 12.4Km long. The area also receives rainfall two times a year that gives the dam distinct advantages from the others.  The dam is being constructed by a Chinese company named CGGC with the supervision of MWH, an American company.


Radar

Somali Region Advances Budget Independence as Revenues Rise

Somali Regional State is moving closer to fiscal independence, with nearly half its budget now funded locally. Officials point to rising agricultural output and stronger tax enforcement as key drivers behind growing revenues. The region plans to cover 32.5 billion Br from its own resources in the upcoming fiscal year. Communication Head Mohammed Abdi credited last year's tax collection of 18 billion Br, exceeding the 17 billion Br target, to agriculture, khat, and other taxable goods. The reg...


Radar

Environmental Protection Authority Shuts Down Polluters

Addis Abeba's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has taken enforcement action against 3,249 manufacturers and service providers found violating environmental standards in the 2024/25 fiscal year. The violations, ranging from air and noise pollution to improper waste disposal, were identified during inspections of 14,872 businesses citywide. Penalties included warnings and closures, with shutdown orders issued to six plastic factories, 23 block factories, a soft paper plant, 102 nightclu...


Radar

Ministry Mandates Full Electronic Clearance for Top Taxpayers

Taxpayers under the Ministry of Revenues' Medium No. 1 branch will have to ditch paper filings and switch entirely to the e-Clearance system for non-audited services starting August 1, 2025. The mandate, routed through the Ministry's e-filing portal, is pitched as part of a broader push to modernise tax administration and advance the government's digital agenda. Officials say the platform lets users process clearance requests remotely via the Fayda national ID, cutting out manual paperwork. A...