The African Development Bank (AfDB) has, via the African Development Fund, granted Ethiopia $97.79 million to rehabilitate its power network. The grant is broken into a loan of $83.64 million and a subsidy of $14.15 million.

The monies will be used to rehabilitate and improve Addis Ababa’s power transmission system. The project will involve 545km of average tension line, the replacement and installation of 582 distribution transformers, the construction of 14 primary sub-stations and the establishment of a system of data control, monitoring and acquisition. It also includes the improvement of 9 high tension sub-stations and the construction of a double circuit 132 kV overhead line of a length of 3.8km.

The implementation of this project will support the government’s efforts to lift all challenges that its power network faces. It also aligns with the New Deal on Energy for Africa, AfDB’s 10-year (2012-2022) strategy aiming to boost industrialization and improving populations’ living standards, by providing them a better access to power.

Gwladys Johnson