Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station

Power station in Ethiopia

Dam
05°30′36.5″N 39°43′05″E / 5.510139°N 39.71806°E / 5.510139; 39.71806PurposePart of Ethiopia's plan of universal electrification access by 2025Construction beganMarch 2011Opening date2020Construction cost£352.7 million ($451 million)Owner(s)Ethiopian Electric PowerDam and spillwaysType of damGravity damImpoundsGanale Doria RiverLength110Width (crest)456Dam volume3.22 millionSpillway typeCFRDSpillway capacity1,880 m3/secondPower StationCommission dateFebruary 2020Turbines3 x 84.7 MWInstalled capacity254 MW (341,000 hp)

The Genale Dawa III Power Station, also GD-3 Power Station, is a hydroelectric power station across the Ganale Doria River in Ethiopia. Construction began circa March 2011 and the power station was commercially commissioned in February 2020. The renewable energy infrastructure development is owned by the government of Ethiopia and was constructed by China Gezhouba Group, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation at an estimated cost of £352.7 million ($451 million), co-financed by the Exim Bank of China and the Ethiopian Government.[1][2]

Location

The power station lies across the Ganale Doria River, along the border of Kobadi Woreda and Meda Welabu Woreda, in the Bale Zone of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This is approximately 610 kilometres (379 mi) by road, southeast of Addis Ababa, the largest city and capital of Ethiopia.[3] The geographical coordinates of Genale–Dawa 3 Hydroelectric Power Station are 05°30'36.5"N, 39°43'05.0"E (Latitude:5.510139; Longitude:39.718056).[4]

Overview

The dam is a "concrete-lined rockfill dam". The water reservoir measures 110 metres (361 ft) in height and is 456 metres (1,496 ft) long. The dam reservoir has a retention capacity of 3,200,000 cubic metres (113,006,934 cu ft) of water. The underground powerhouse has three Francis turbines, each rated at 84.7 megawatts, relaying the power to an above-ground switchyard.[5] From the power station, two high-voltage transmission lines (one at 400kV and another at 230kV), transfer the energy a total of 295 kilometres (183 mi) to a substation owned by the Ethiopian Electric Power, where the energy is integrated into the national grid.[1]

Ownership

Genale–Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station is wholly owned and operated by the Government of Ethiopia.[1][5]

Construction costs and funding

The construction budget is quoted as £352.7 million (US$451 million). The table below outlines the sources of funding for constructing the dam and power station, including the associated infrastructure.[1][5]

Funding Sources For Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station
Rank Funder Contribution in British Pounds Percentage Notes
1 Exim Bank of China 254.85 million 72.26 Loan[1]
2 Government of Ethiopia 53.00 million 15.03 Equity Investment[1]
3 Others 44.83 million 12.71 Loan[1]
Total 352.7 million 100.00
  • Note: Totals are slightly off due to rounding.

Other considerations

GD-3 Dam is a multi-purpose dam. Besides power generation, the dam reservoir serves as a water storage facility for use during water scarcity. In addition, the water will be used for irrigation of approximately 15,000 hectares (58 sq mi), as part of the Lower Genale Irrigation Development Project.[1]

See also

  • iconWater portal
  • iconRenewable energy portal

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h NS Energy (February 2020). "Genale–Dawa III Multipurpose Hydropower Project". NSEnergybusiness.com. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  2. ^ Aaron Larson (1 September 2020). "Award-Winning Hydropower Project Helps Electrify Ethiopia". Power Magazine Online. Houston, Texas, United States. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  3. ^ Google (27 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia And Kersa Dek, Ethiopia, With Interactive Map" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  4. ^ Google (27 August 2021). "Location of Genale–Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station, Near Ciubbe, Ethiopia" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Jean Marie Takouleu (6 May 2021). "Ethiopia: CGGC to commission Genale Dawa III Dam". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 27 August 2021.

External links

  • Genale-Dawa 3 Hydropower Project