Local news sources in Ethiopia report that Ethiopia is downsizing mega-dam project ahead of Egyptian president and Ethiopian Prime Minister meeting in Russia. Ethiopian electric power has dismissed it as a wrong information
borkena
October 14, 2019
Egyptian President Abdul Fatah el-Sisi announced that he will be meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Moscow, Russia, in a televised speech on Sunday.
Egyptian news source said the two leaders will discuss the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam project. Their meeting is said to take place on the sidelines of Russia-Africa Summit which is expected to take place later this month.
More than 50 African countries are expected to attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (who is also currently chairperson of the African Union) will co-chair the meeting.
Egypt Independent quoted president el-Sisi as saying “If the incidents of 2011 hadn’t happened, we would have had a chance to reach an agreement on the dam” during the 31st Cultural Symposium of Armed Forces.
Some of his remarks during the occasion seem to have a military tone although he reportedly said that Egypt will not attack Ethiopia.
He told the armed forces “If you don’t watch out for our country, there will be more harm like this. We must move on with developing our country, though we will not reach all our goals overnight” as quoted by Egypt Independent.
The trilateral negotiation between the water ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan that took place in the Sudanese capital Khartoum earlier this month ended with no agreement.
The Ethiopian water minister remarked to local journalists that the Egyptian proposal during the talk, which was about the filling and operation of the dam, violates Ethiopia’s right to use its fair share of the water and its sovereignty.
Among key points of disagreement is that Egypt wants the Dam to release 40 billion cubic meters of water annually which Ethiopia says is impossible. As well, Egypt wants to maintain its Aswan Dam at 165 meters above the ground, among other points of disagreement.
During the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September of this year, President el-Sisi said that the negotiation process is stalled and that it could cause to the instability of the region, and has called for the intervention of mediators. But Ethiopia has rejected the involvement of an entity, that is not a party to the subject, in the negotiation process.
Meanwhile, new information emerging from Ethiopia says Ethiopia is downsizing the number of turbines that generate hydroelectric power. Initially, the Dam was intended to generate 6000 MW of power. According to Addis Fortune News on Sunday, three turbines will be removed. If the report is true, the change will bring hydroelectric power generating capacity the Dam to 4700 MW.
Ethiopian Electric Power Authority has denied that there is no change in terms of power generation plan to the Dam.
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In the first place this cannot be true; unless rumor or misunderstanding.It was broadcasted that these three units will be postponed; not downsized until other units are ready.It is logical to pospone than to finish units and wait till the dam is fully filled – money unnecessarly tied up on unproductive units. Ethiopians will not tolerate to this mindless move of any one, including Abiy, if true. This can’t be political decision; but an insult to Ethiopian people-the pain Ethiopians can not bear. Egypt as usual can do what ever it takes; for which no plan on the project can be modified. It is not somebody’s project; it is Ethiopians’. We would like even to increase,if possible let alone to downsize.
You writers without getting info from true sources,please not rush to release such nonsense rumors.
We finish z dam as planned without any revision. This is something zat we pass to our next generation.
Egypt can’t cross the red line .If she should, let try and history will repeat. It is not about weaponry; its about heart.Enough is enough!
Bye for now.
The original design of the dam was 5250MW & then upgraded to 6450MW. Now in line with your article the capacity of the three turbine in equation is 1300MW So if you deduct 1300MW from the 6450MW the remaining capacity of the Dam will be 5150MW which is almost to the original design of 5250MW. As a result of this, I would like to request you to review & make the necessary rectification.
Regards,
Derebe Yimam
Will the 6000MW dam operation affect Egypt?
If it will affect Egypt then how?
Can some one help me understand this please.
The old country should be prepared for anything Egypt may try to throw at it. I mean everything and anything. The Egyptian leader is clearing saying if his country did not have to be preoccupied with the 2011 internal events that shook her to the core it might be able to kowtow the old country into submission by force. Please note that Egypt has a history of using anything at its disposal to save face. When its military involvement in the North Yemen civil war in 1962-67 proved to be futile it had resorted to using weapons in clear violation of the Geneva Protocol of 1925. That is how they can be lawless and savage. Egypt must understand that with such bully behavior it may end up destroying the current path of the Blue Nile. Forever that is. Then there will be nothing to worry or talk about a river called The Nile. And the old country has nothing to do with that. None of it!!! You know what I mean?
As I said it seemingly infinite times, Egypt ‘s problem IS ONE and ONLY ONE, when dealing with Black Africa. >>> SUPERIORITY COMPLEX OVER THE BLACK RACE, WITH INSIDIOUS HATRED, where ever they may be. And that negative attitude will NEVER , EVER, subside.
Egypt have been there for thousands of Years, before there were even something called Ethopia! and why do u expect Egypt to keep quiet , if her farming land will be affected, and the Nile will run dry ? For Egypt it is a life or death situation , do you understand that ? Well Egypt has an army and it will defend itself. The Water does not belong to Ethopia alone, and to have this dam is nothing less than theft and savagery !