Wind Turbines in Assela Begin Electricity Supply


Wind Turbines in Assela Begin Electricity Supply

The first turbines at the Assela 100 MW wind farm have begun supplying electricity to the national grid, marking a major step in the country’s renewable energy expansion. Once fully operational by end of 2025, the farm’s 29 turbines are said to generate over 300 GWh annually, enough to power 140,000 households. Located 150 km South of Addis Abeba, the project is owned by Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and fully financed by Denmark, the total investment of 146 million euro was supported by a 117.3 million euros loan from Danske Bank and an additional 28.7 million euro grant and built by the Spanish-German company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE). The wind farm aligns with the country's goals to diversify energy mix, reduce reliance on hydropower, and cut carbon emissions to achieve the sustainable development goals and middle income status by 2030. High-level officials from Ethiopia, Denmark, and the EU celebrated the milestone on May 22, 2025, praising the project’s role in strengthening climate resilience and regional energy integration. Semereta Sewasew, State Minister of Finance for Economic Cooperation, acknowledged the project’s use of blended finance and partnerships, while the Ambassador of Denmark to Ethiopia, Sune Krogstrup called it a fruitful partnership and emphasised Denmark’s on support for clean energy transition not only advances renewable energy capacity but also strengthens the bonds between the two countries.

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