"With great fanfare Ethiopia inaugurated its controversial mega-dam on the Blue Nile on Tuesday the biggest hydroelectric dam in Africa but one that's divided the region and even caught the attention of President Trump. Fireworks lit up the sky the night before the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was officially opened, and dancers dressed as engineers in hardhats performed at the colorful daytime ceremony attended by African dignitaries."
"The 476-foot high, 1.2 mile-long dam will more than double Ethiopia's electricity capacity to 5,000 megawatts. Almost half of Ethiopia's 130 million people lack access to electricity and even the capital Addis Ababa experiences regular blackouts. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hopes the dam will transform the country's economy and plans to export the surplus power elsewhere in the region, like to Kenya."
Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile after 14 years of construction and $5 billion in costs. The 476-foot high, 1.2-mile-long reservoir holds 74 billion cubic meters and will boost electricity capacity to 5,000 megawatts, more than doubling current output. Almost half of Ethiopia's 130 million people lack electricity and urban centers face regular blackouts. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expects economic transformation and plans to export surplus power to neighboring countries such as Kenya. Egypt views the dam as an existential threat because the Nile provides 97 percent of its water. Sudan faces complex strategic choices between regional partners.
Read at www.npr.org
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