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Toronto – Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) on Wednesday announced that power was disrupted after a grid with 230 kilovolt carrying capacity along the Koka and Hurso line was damaged in connection with stealing. The situation has affected the eastern parts of the country.
Alemayehu Zeberga, director of power transmission operation and maintenance department, said the disruption, as cited in the update from EEP, was due to power grid theft in Awash Park locality of Afar region ,Fentale district.
He pointed out that there have been recurring crimes of thefts of power carrier poles in Awash Fentale district. He called on administrative and security bodies in the area as well as community members to provide due protection of the power infrastructures.
The line was supplying power to the eastern region and towns along the Addis Ababa- Djibouti railway line. Djibouti itself has been receiving electric power from the same region, according to the director. The director has confirmed that power has been disrupted in the area.
One power grid carrier is already down and seven others are in “concerning” conditions, the director added.
A team of technical experts is formed and work is underway to restore power. It is currently at the stage of identifying parts and transporting them to the area.
Maintenance work on the stolen power grid might take up to twenty days, according to the director.
From EEP updates, many towns along the line do not seem to be getting power at this point. However, it is said that EEP will make the effort to provide power on rotation basis until the line is fixed. The public is requested to “understand the situation and be patient” until it is resolved.
EEP also announced that nine other power grid carriers with 132 kilovolt along the Metehara-Awash line were damaged and maintenance work is underway to restore service.
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Who is committing this repugnant crime and where does the stolen copper and steel go? First, who own the recycling facilities inside the country? If that is cleared, then the stolen items must be going outside the country. I’m sure Djibouti will not allow that since it is the beneficiary of the electricity supplied by its neighbor. My hunch is it will end up back to where it came from. You call that, what goes around comes around, Ethiopian style. I think that is the best way to prosper there now.