Ethiopia plans to export 100 megawatts of electricity to Tanzania through Kenya as part of a growing cross-border electricity trade initiative. Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced the move following agreements that facilitate power transmission across the three nations.
According to EEP Communications Director Moges Mekonnen, the final quantity of electricity to be exported may be adjusted during ongoing discussions. A signed agreement between Kenya and Tanzania, permitting the use of Kenya’s high-voltage lines for transmission, awaits regulatory approval.
Kenya Electricity Transmission Company CEO John Mativo revealed that electricity generated in Ethiopia’s southern Sodo region will pass through Suswa in Kenya before reaching Arusha in northern Tanzania. The existing transmission line to Kenya, with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, could support expanded energy exports.
Ethiopia’s hydropower sector, bolstered by large-scale dams such as the Grand Renaissance Dam over the Blue Nile, has enabled the nation to meet domestic energy demands while earning foreign exchange. In 2022, Kenya began importing 200 megawatts of Ethiopian hydropower.
EEP reported that during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, Ethiopia earned USD 31.5 million by exporting 497.8 gigawatt hours of electricity to Djibouti, Sudan, and Kenya, achieving 91.8% of its revenue target.
Source: The Ethiopian Herald
