Ethiopia has denied reports that it started filling its massive hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, after satellite images showed higher water levels. The dam has sparked tensions with downriver nations Egypt and Sudan.
Image: Reuters/Maxar Technologies
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Ethiopia's water minister denied that his country has started filling up Africa's largest dam on Wednesday, a day after talks with Sudan and Egypt on the issue came to a deadlock.
Earlier on Wednesday, Minister Sileshi Bekele told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation that the construction of the dam and filling its reservoir "go hand in hand" and confirmed recently-released satellite images that showed higher water levels in the reservoir.
Following reports on his remarks, the minister said that higher water levels were due to recent heavy rainfall — and not due to the conscious efforts to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
"There is a lot of water going through. There is heavy rainfall and the inflow is much greater than the outflow," Seleshi told news agency dpa.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: A never-ending saga
From corruption and mismanagement to a looming diplomatic crisis: Construction on Ethiopia's mammoth dam has been far from smooth sailing.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
A concrete colossus
At 145 meters high and almost two kilometers long, the Grand Renaissance Dam is expected to become Ethiopia's biggest source of electricity. As Africa's largest hydroelectric power dam, it will produce more than 15,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity, beginning in 2022. It will source water from Africa's longest river, the Blue Nile.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
The outlook so far
With more than 50% of Ethiopians still living without electricity, the government wants the dam to be up and running as soon as possible, so tens of millions of residents will be able to access power. The first of a total of 13 turbines are due to be operational by mid-2021.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
A long time in the making
Construction on the current dam began in 2011 — but the site was identified between 1956 and 1964. The coup of 1974 meant the project failed to progress, and it was not until 2009 that plans for the dam were resurrected. The $4.6 billion (€4.1 billion) project has consistently been the source of serious regional controversy, with its plan to source water from the Blue Nile.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/E. Asmare
Transforming the landscape
In a few years, this entire area will be covered in water. The reservoir which is needed to generate electricity is expected to hold 74 billion cubic meters of water. Ethiopia wants to fill the artificial lake as soon as possible, but neighboring countries are concerned about the impact this might have on their own water supplies.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Diplomatic deadlock
Egypt, in particular, fears that filling the reservoir too quickly will threaten their water supply and allow Ethiopia to control the flow of the Blue Nile. Ethiopia is insisting on having the reservoir filled in seven years. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday, to discuss the matter.
Image: Imago Images/Xinhua
No solution in sight
However, two days of negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan in Washington over the weekend failed to solve the reservoir issue, despite the US stepping in to mediate. With no progress over the last four years, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed even called on South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa — and the 2020 chairperson of the African Union — to intervene in the dispute.
Image: Reuters/S. Sibeko
Back-breaking work
Amidst the heated negotiations, up to 6,000 employees are still working around the clock to get the dam completed by the deadline. The working conditions are not for the faint-hearted: In the hottest months, temperatures on the construction site can reach up to 50 degrees.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Project mired in corruption
Over the years, construction was also delayed significantly due to ongoing corruption and mismanagement issues. Last month, 50 people were charged with severe graft offenses relating to the dam, including the former CEO of Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).
Image: AFP/E. Solteras
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Sudan says water levels dropped
The government of Sudan said on Wednesday that it rejects any unilateral actions with concerns to the dam while negotiating efforts with Ethiopia and Egypt continue.
The statement, released by Sudan's Irrigation Ministry, also said water levels on Sudan's side of the Blue Nile dropped by 90 cubic meters in one day.
Following the reports, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said it was urgently seeking clarification from Ethiopia on the issue.
On Tuesday, the three countries failed to reach an agreement on regulating water flow from the dam.
Ethiopia says the $4.6 billion (€4 billion) project is crucial to expanding its power exports and is an opportunity to pull millions of its 110 million population out of poverty.
Downstream Egypt and Sudan have voiced concerns since construction on the dam started in 2010. Egypt says the dam poses an existential threat to its citizens, as the country relies almost exclusively on the Nile for farming, domestic water use and its industry.
In June, Egypt took the issue before the UN Security Council, seeking a legally binding agreement on water flows and a legal mechanism for resolving disputes.
