Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station
The Genale Dawa III Power Station, also GD-3 Power Station, is a hydroelectric power station across the Ganale Doria River in Ethiopia. Construction began circa March 2011 and the power station was commercially commissioned in February 2020. The renewable energy infrastructure development is owned by the government of Ethiopia and was constructed by China Gezhouba Group, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation at an estimated cost of £352.7 million ($451 million), co-financed by the Exim Bank of China and the Ethiopian Government.[1][2]
| Genale Dawa III Dam | |
|---|---|
  Location of Genale Dawa III Power Station Placement on map is approximate  Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station (Africa) .svg.png.webp) Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station (Earth) | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Coordinates | 05°30′36.5″N 39°43′05″E |
| Purpose | Part of Ethiopia's plan of universal electrification access by 2025 |
| Construction began | March 2011 |
| Opening date | 2020 |
| Construction cost | £352.7 million ($451 million) |
| Owner(s) | Ethiopian Electric Power |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam |
| Impounds | Ganale Doria River |
| Length | 110 |
| Width (crest) | 456 |
| Dam volume | 3.22 million |
| Spillway type | CFRD |
| Spillway capacity | 1,880 m3/second |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | February 2020 |
| Turbines | 3 x 84.7 MW |
| Installed capacity | 254 MW (341,000 hp) |
Location
The power station lies across the Ganale Doria River, along the border of Kobadi Woreda and Meda Welabu Woreda, in the Bale Zone of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This is approximately 610 kilometres (379 mi) by road, southeast of Addis Ababa, the largest city and capital of Ethiopia.[3] The geographical coordinates of Genale–Dawa 3 Hydroelectric Power Station are 05°30'36.5"N, 39°43'05.0"E (Latitude:5.510139; Longitude:39.718056).[4]
Overview
The dam is a "concrete-lined rockfill dam". The water reservoir measures 110 metres (361 ft) in height and is 456 metres (1,496 ft) long. The dam reservoir has a retention capacity of 3,200,000 cubic metres (113,006,934 cu ft) of water. The underground powerhouse has three Francis turbines, each rated at 84.7 megawatts, relaying the power to an above-ground switchyard.[5] From the power station, two high-voltage transmission lines (one at 400kV and another at 230kV), transfer the energy a total of 295 kilometres (183 mi) to a substation owned by the Ethiopian Electric Power, where the energy is integrated into the national grid.[1]
Ownership
Genale–Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station is wholly owned and operated by the Government of Ethiopia.[1][5]
Construction costs and funding
The construction budget is quoted as £352.7 million (US$451 million). The table below outlines the sources of funding for constructing the dam and power station, including the associated infrastructure.[1][5]
| Rank | Funder | Contribution in British Pounds | Percentage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exim Bank of China | 254.85 million | 72.26 | Loan[1] |
| 2 | Government of Ethiopia | 53.00 million | 15.03 | Equity Investment[1] |
| 3 | Others | 44.83 million | 12.71 | Loan[1] |
| Total | 352.7 million | 100.00 | ||
- Note: Totals are slightly off due to rounding.
Other considerations
GD-3 Dam is a multi-purpose dam. Besides power generation, the dam reservoir serves as a water storage facility for use during water scarcity. In addition, the water will be used for irrigation of approximately 15,000 hectares (58 sq mi), as part of the Lower Genale Irrigation Development Project.[1]
References
- NS Energy (February 2020). "Genale–Dawa III Multipurpose Hydropower Project". NSEnergybusiness.com. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- Aaron Larson (1 September 2020). "Award-Winning Hydropower Project Helps Electrify Ethiopia". Power Magazine Online. Houston, Texas, United States. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- Google (27 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia And Kersa Dek, Ethiopia, With Interactive Map" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- Google (27 August 2021). "Location of Genale–Dawa III Hydroelectric Power Station, Near Ciubbe, Ethiopia" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- Jean Marie Takouleu (6 May 2021). "Ethiopia: CGGC to commission Genale Dawa III Dam". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 27 August 2021.