Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Officially Opens with Great Fanfare and Pomp
On 9 September 2025, Ethiopian PM Abiy Ali officially inaugurated the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) with great fanfare and pomp. The night before, the dam was lit up by fireworks and enlivened by a drone air show.
The Project was mostly self-financed by the Government of Ethiopia. It is noteworthy that nearly 10% of the cost came from Sovereign or Diaspora Bonds. The total cost of the GERD is estimated to be about USD 5 billion. China EXIM Bank contributed USD one billion of financing for the purchase of turbines made by Voith Shanghai and other related equipment from China.
Rated at 5.15 GW, it is the largest Hydropower Plant (#HPP) in Africa and ranks among the top 20 dams in the world. Its construction took a good dozen years between 2011 and 2023, with multiple stops and starts. The main contractor was Italian firm WeBuild (formerly Salini Impregilo), which also built the Tana Beles and Gilgel Gibe II & III dams. Studio Pietrangeli undertook the design and required studies, while Tractebel Engie acted as the owner’s engineer and was contracted by Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) to supervise the works. The electromechanical component was completed by an array of international firms, including General Electric (GE), China Gezhouba Group, and Sinohydro.
The project was mired in controversy as Sudan and Egypt expressed concerns about the water flow control down the Nile River. Egypt is highly dependent on the Nile River since ninety-five percent of its water supply originates from this one river. It took nearly two years to gradually fill up the 74 billion cubic meters of water held by the dam in order to ensure sufficient flow downstream. No Nile River Water Treaty has been signed, but Ethiopia did make public statements to allay the fears of the downstream countries.
The inauguration of the dam coincided with the 2nd African Climate Summit (#ACS2025 ), which opened in Addis Ababa on the 8th of September, 2025. The operationalization of GERD is a great catalyst for the #EnergyTransition and is an expression of the commitment of Ethiopia toward #NetZero.