ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia has more than doubled its power generation capacity over the last seven years, the state-run Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced Saturday, as the country cements its position as East Africa’s primary renewable energy hub.
Installed capacity has surged from 4,462 megawatts to 9,752 megawatts, driven by the operationalization of units at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and significant investments in wind and geothermal projects.
EEP Communication Director Moges Mekonnen stated that national electricity access has simultaneously risen to 54 percent.
“This is a major leap that reflects Ethiopia’s fast-progressing energy development,” Mekonnen told state media. Currently, nearly 100 percent of Ethiopia’s grid is powered by renewable sources.
The expansion is already translating into regional diplomacy. Tanzanian officials confirmed Saturday that Ethiopia’s energy exports are now a critical component of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with power-sharing agreements helping to fuel industrial growth in Kenya, Djibouti, and Sudan.
