South Korea finances Ethiopia-Sudan power project

June 3, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) – The South Korean government has approved Ethiopia a soft loan amounting $80 million to support part of the Ethiopia-Sudan electric power transmission line construction and expansion project.

According to the state utility, Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo), the loan agreement is expected to be signed by a Korean government representative and the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

Misikir Negash, corporate communications head at the EEPCo told a local news paper, the reporter that the electric power transmission line stretches from Debremarkos-Gebreguracha-Sululuta.

The transmission line which is an expansion of the Beles-Bahir Dar-Sululta transmission line is 212 kilometers long with a carrying capacity of 400 KV.

Earlier this year, Addis Ababa announced the completion of a World Bank-funded $41 million dollar Ethiopia-Sudan power transmission line project that will connect the power grids of the two east African neighbours.

The completed interconnector stretches between the Ethiopian towns of Bahir-Dar and Metema and connects with a transmission line in Sudanese border town of Gedaref allowing Khartoum to import an initial 100MW of electricity.

Ethiopia currently exports 35MW of electricity to Djibouti for a return of $1.5 million per month.

The Ethiopia-Sudan Transmission Line Project is part of Ethiopia’s plan to interconnect nation with East Africa through renewable and clean electric power.

Sudantribune.come