KEYIR NEWS – Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) has reported a total revenue of $118.1 million from electricity exports to neighbouring countries during the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year, reflecting the growing strategic importance of Ethiopia’s regional power trade.
According to Moges Mekonnen, Communications Director at EEP, Ethiopia currently exports electricity to Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan, and Tanzania. The regional integration through energy sharing is part of the country’s broader plan to leverage its power generation capacity for economic and diplomatic advantage.
Moges stated that EEP had initially planned to generate 25,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity during the fiscal year. However, actual production exceeded expectations, reaching over 29,000 GWh, demonstrating improved operational capacity and performance of hydropower facilities.
From this output, $86.3 million was earned through electricity sales to Kenya, surpassing the planned $85.2 million target. Meanwhile, Djibouti and Sudan contributed $30.9 million and $900,000 respectively to the total earnings.
The director further disclosed that Tanzania began receiving electricity on a trial basis during the same fiscal period, expanding Ethiopia’s power trade footprint in the region. This move aligns with the Eastern Africa Power Pool initiative and reflects Ethiopia’s commitment to becoming a regional power hub.
The exported energy accounts for 7% of total electricity generated, contributing 20% of EEP’s overall revenue for the fiscal year. Officials say that such performance underscores the country’s competitive edge in clean energy production, driven primarily by large-scale hydropower investments.
EEP plans to expand cross-border electricity infrastructure and partnerships in the years ahead, aiming to strengthen its role in regional electrification and sustainable development.
By JEMAL YIMAM | KEYIR STAFF WRITER