The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) on Tuesday signed contract accord with three Chinese companies for the construction hydroelectric power and wind power projects

The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) on Tuesday signed contract accord with three Chinese companies for the construction hydroelectric power and wind power projects.

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The constructions project agreements which were signed at a grand ceremony held at Sheraton Addis includes Genale Dawa -3 and Chemoga yeda hydropower projects and two preliminary agreements on Mesobo Harena and Adama Wind projects.

The corporation signed the accord with China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) for construction of Genale Dawa 3 hydropower project, located in southern part of Ethiopia on border area of Oromia and Somali regional States.

The project will be constructed at a cost of 408 million USD and expected to generate 254 mega watt electric powers, EEPCo Chief Executive Officer, Mihret Debebe said.

With a 110 meters high dam that will be constructed on the Genale River, the project was said would increase the current capacity of 860 MW by 27 percent.

CGGC representative, chief engineer Wang Chenli said the construction of the dam will be finalized in four years time.

Similarly, the corporation also signed another accord with Sino-Hydro Corporation for the construction of Chemoga Yeda hydropower project located near Debremarkos area of Amhara regional state at a project cost of 555 million USD investment capital.

Mihret further explained that this project includes construction of five dams on five rivers and the first phase of the project will be finalized in four years time.

Representative of the company Chen Yushan on his part said his company has rich experience in hydropower construction.

The corporation has also signed a preliminary agreement with HYDROCHINA Company for construction of wind power projects in Adama and Mesobo Harena areas.

Each wind power project can generate 51 mega watt electric power for an emergency case and it will be constituted by 34 units of each project wind turbines to be erected with unit capacity of 1500kW, the main and state-of-art type, according to the feasibility study.

According to Wang Yantao, the first unit will expect to commission and produce electric power in May 2010, if the contract can be finalized between EEPCo and HYDROCHINA Corporation, and loan agreement can be reached between the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and EXIM of China on schedule.

HYDROCHINA Deputy General Manager Wang Minhao said Ethiopia is endowed with vast renewable energy resources.

The corporation is constructing Tekeze, Beles, Amerti Neshi, Gibe 2 & 3 hydropower projects at present.

Additional hydropower and wind power projects, which are in the pipeline to be constructed, are expected to generate additional 5000 mega watt electric power.

Some 12 billion USD budget has been earmarked for nation’s 25 years Power Sector Master Plan of which 70 percent allocated for generating power.