Ethiopia formally inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), marking the launch of Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam. The project is expected to supply electricity to millions while deepening tensions with downstream Egypt, which has long expressed concerns about water security.
Home to more than 120 million people, Ethiopia views the $5 billion hydroelectric development on a tributary of the Nile as central to its national growth strategy. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has gradually expanded its generation since the activation of its first turbine in 2022, reaching its maximum capacity of 5,150 megawatts in September this year. This milestone places it among the world’s twenty largest hydroelectric plants.
At a ceremony held in Guba, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addressed dignitaries including the presidents of Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya.
“To our (Sudanese and Egyptian) brothers; Ethiopia built the dam to prosper, to electrify the entire region and to change the history of black people,” Abiy said. “It is absolutely not to harm its brothers.”
Abiy underlined that the project will expand electricity access for nearly half the country’s population who were without power as recently as 2022, with surplus supply to be exported to neighboring regions. The government has also said the dam’s reservoir, which covers an area larger than Greater London, will contribute to steady irrigation supplies downstream while limiting both floods and drought cycles.
Downstream nations, particularly Egypt, have voiced persistent concerns since construction began in 2011. Egypt fears the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam could reduce its water availability during droughts and encourage further upstream projects.
Ethiopia insists the dam is not a threat to neighbors, pointing out the reservoir has been filled gradually since 2020 in order to avoid causing significant disruption. Independent research suggests downstream flows have not experienced serious disruptions, thanks to prudent reservoir management and good rainfall conditions over recent years.
Domestically, the project has become a powerful symbol of unity and resilience. “It has been a banner to rally under, and it shows what we can achieve when unified.” said Mekdelawit Messay, an Ethiopian water researcher at Florida International University. National media report that 91% of the financing came from the Ethiopian government, with the remainder funded through bonds and donations from citizens.
For local communities, the benefits of Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam—GERD, are already tangible. Although electricity has reached the cities at 94% by 2022, overall access in Ethiopia is only 55%, which indicates the difficulty of expanding transmission networks to rural areas.