Ethiopia announced on Sunday it had completed the fourth and final phase of filling a reservoir for its huge and controversial hydroelectric power plant on the Blue Nile, a project that Egypt and Sudan have long opposed. Construction of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) began in 2011 and Ethiopia sees the project as crucial to powering its economic development. Egypt and Sudan, however, consider the project a serious threat to their vital water supplies. “Congratulations to all on the fourth filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. With a projected capacity of more than 6,000 megawatts, Ethiopia sees GERD as the centerpiece of its bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter.

Source: CNN September 11, 2023 19:20 UTC