Name of the Project
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Location
The GERD is located on the Abay river, in the Beneshangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia.

Project Owner/s
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo).

Project Description
The project envisages a plant with an installed capacity of 6 000 MW that will supply 15 692 GWh/y.

The major components of the project include:
• a 145-m-high, roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam with a 1 780-m-long crest;
• a rock-filled saddle dam, 4 800 m long and 45 m high, with 24 upstream bituminous facing;
• two outdoor powerhouses of 3 750 MW and 2 250 MW installed capacity, containing ten and six generating units respectively, each with a capacity of 375 MW; and
• a 500 kV switchyard, which will transmit power from the two powerhouses to the grid.

The main dam and saddle dam will create 74-billion cubic metres of impounding capacity, with a surface area of 1 680 km2 at full capacity.

A gated spillway, equipped with six radial gates and a discharge capacity of 14 700 m3/s at probable maximum flood occurrence, will be located on the left side of the main dam.

A saddle dam on the left side of the RCC dam, with an emergency side spillway, is envisaged to allow for the discharge of flood water directly into the Roseires reservoir.

The construction of 123 km of access roads, as well as camps, workshops and other civil works, form part of the activities for the project.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
The project is valued at an estimated $4.8-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
In January, Ethiopia's Water and Energy Minister said that following construction delays, the dam would start production by the end of 2020 and be fully operational by 2022.

Latest Developments
The Trump administration has invited Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to a meeting in Washington on November 6 to try to break the deadlock in negotiations over the GERD.

Earlier this month, Cairo said it accepted a US invitation to a meeting of foreign Ministers over the project that is the source of an escalating spat between the two African countries.

It is not clear if the other two countries have agreed to attend.

Egypt is worried that the GERD, under construction near Ethiopia's border with Sudan, will restrict supplies of already scarce Nile waters on which it is almost entirely dependent.

In recent weeks, Egypt has called for an external mediator on the issue, saying three-way talks have been exhausted.

Addis Ababa has previously rejected the idea, accusing Egypt of trying to sidestep the process.

Egypt and Ethiopia's leaders have agreed to the immediate resumption of the work by a technical committee trying to agree on the operating terms of the dam, an Egyptian presidency spokesperson has said.

No mention was made of a mediator in the statement.

Ethiopia is expected to start filling the reservoir behind the dam next year.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Salini Costruttori, a subsidiary of Salini Impregilo; GE Hydro France, China Gezhouba Group Corp, Voith Hydro Shanghai and China's Sinohydro Corp (construction contract); Alstom (turbine and generators).

On Budget and on Time?
The dam is running over budget and is behind schedule by three years.

Contact Details for Project Information
EEPCo, tel +251 11 1 55 95 67, fax +251 11 1 57 1860 or email eepcocommunication@yahoo.com.