The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. It will be the largest hydropower project in Africa.

Where is Ethiopian Renaissance dam construction?

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), formerly known as the Millennium Dam, is under construction in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia, on the Blue Nile River, which is located about 40km east of Sudan. The project is owned by Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO).

Why is Ethiopia building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam?

The primary purpose of the dam is electricity production to relieve Ethiopia's acute energy shortage and for electricity export to neighboring countries.

How long will it take to fill the Ethiopian dam?

Ethiopia says it will take a further four to six years to fill up the reservoir to its maximum flood season capacity of 74bcm. At that point, the lake that will be created could stretch back some 250km (155 miles) upstream. Between each subsequent flood season the reservoir will be lowered to 49.3bcm.

Why is the Ethiopian dam bad for Egypt?

Although both Egypt and Sudan will suffer from water shortage caused by the construction of the dam. Egypt will lose 3 times the quantity lost from Sudan based on 1959 water share agreement. Countries in the Nile Basin are required to use water resource sustainably and to expand their water infrastructure.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Nile controversies

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Who is building the GERD dam?

The countries have said the GERD threatens not only their water but also their national security. Ethiopia, which began building the dam in 2011, has said it will fill the reservoir in stages, a process that could take up to seven years.

What is the biggest dam in the world?

World's Tallest Dam

Currently, the tallest dam in the world is Nurek Dam on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan. It is 984 feet (300 meters) tall. Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet (221.3 meters) tall.

Which dam is biggest in Africa?

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is Ethiopians most massive project to date and at a cost of US $6.4bn have the distinction of being Africa's largest dam generating a whopping 6000MW of electrical energy.

Is Ethiopia damming the Nile?

CAIRO, July 8 (Reuters) - Ethiopia has been building a giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile and has started holding back the water flow from seasonal rains to fill the reservoir behind it for a second year. ... Though construction has been hit by delays, Ethiopia began filling the reservoir behind the dam in 2020.

Where does Ethiopia get its water?

The great majority of the rural community water supply relies on groundwater through shallow wells, deep wells and springs. People who have no access to improved supply usually obtain water from rivers, unprotected springs and hand-dug wells.

Is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam complete?

Ethiopia has completed the filling of a massive, controversial dam on the Blue Nile river for a second year, state media has said, a move that is likely to anger Egypt and Sudan who have long opposed the project.

How efficient is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam?

The dam will be 145 meters high, with a reservoir size of between 62-65 billion cubic meters. This equates into 33% efficiency (15,128 GWh x 100%/ (5.250 GW X 365 days x 24 hrs).

What is Great Ethiopian Renaissance dam?

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. It will be the largest hydropower project in Africa.

What are the 5 biggest dams in Africa?

Africa's biggest dams

• Grand Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia. ...
• Grand Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia. ...
• The Aswan High Dam, Egypt. ...
• The Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique. ...
• Gibe III in Ethiopia. ...
• The Inga dams in DR Congo. ...
• The Inga dams in DR Congo (continued) ...
• The Akosombo Dam in Ghana.

Where is the deepest dam in the world?

The deepest dam in the world is widely considered to be the Parker Dam on the Lower Colorado Basin. Built with 380,000 cubic yards (290,531 cubic meters) of concrete, the dam has a height of 320 feet (98m), 73% of which is below the original river bed. Only around 85 feet (26m) of the dam's structure is visible.

What would happen to Vegas if the Hoover Dam broke?

It wouldn't be flooded, since the water would start draining southeast of the city and rush south down the Colorado canyon away from Las Vegas Valley. However, Las Vegas gets all of its water from Lake Mead, so the city would quickly dry up.

Which country has the world's 2 largest dams?

Bratsk Dam, Russia

Bratsk Dam in Siberia, Russia, ranks as the second biggest dam in the world thanks to its 169.27 billion cubic metres reservoir.

Has the Nile River ever dried up?

But climbing temperatures and drought are drying up the mighty Nile – a problem compounded by rising seas and soil salinization, experts and farmers say. ... By 2050, the region could lose up to 15% percent of its key agricultural land due to salinization, according to a 2016 study published by Egyptian economists.

Has Ethiopia start filling the GERD?

CAIRO, July 5 (Reuters) - Egypt's irrigation minister said on Monday he had received official notice from Ethiopia that it had begun filling the reservoir behind its giant hydropower dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), for a second year.

What happens if the Nile dried up?

By 2040, a hot and dry year could push over 45% of the people in the Nile Basin – nearly 110 million people – into water scarcity. Even without these developments, population growth would drive water scarcity in the Upper Nile.