10/09/2025
Here’s a rewritten version of the article about Ethiopia’s GERD:
Ethiopia Inaugurates Africa’s Largest Hydroelectric Dam
Ethiopia has officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the continent’s largest hydroelectric project, marking a milestone in its pursuit of energy independence and regional influence. While the project promises electricity for millions of Ethiopians, it continues to heighten tensions with downstream Egypt, which fears for its share of Nile waters.
Home to over 120 million people, Ethiopia views the $5 billion (£3.7bn) GERD, built on the Blue Nile, as a cornerstone of its economic future. Since the first turbine was activated in 2022, the dam’s output has steadily grown, now reaching its full generating capacity of 5,150 megawatts—placing it among the 20 largest hydroelectric dams worldwide, though still only about a quarter the size of China’s Three Gorges Dam.
The inauguration ceremony took place in Guba, where a fighter jet soared above the cascading waters plunging 170 metres (558ft). Beneath a stage canopy designed in the shape of Ethiopia and coloured in the national flag, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addressed a gathering of dignitaries, including the presidents of Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya.
“To our brothers in Sudan and Egypt, Ethiopia built this dam not to cause harm, but to bring prosperity—electrifying the region and reshaping the history of Africa’s people,” Abiy declared.
Ethiopia plans to use the power generated to expand electricity access domestically while exporting surplus energy to neighbouring countries, positioning GERD as both a symbol of national pride and a driver of regional development.
— Adapted from Reuters and The Guardian
