Ethiopia Begins Producing Electricity via Controversial Dam on Blue Nile River

Ethiopia began producing electricity via the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday flipped the proverbial switch to initiate electricity production. The $4.2 billion project that broke ground in 2011 is expected to produce more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity, more than doubling Ethiopia’s electricity output. Ethiopia says the dam is necessary for its economic development and in order to provide power to its citizenry. Egypt considers the dam a threat to its water supply from the Nile, which is its main source of water. Both Egypt and Sudan have objected to the dam, saying it will shrink the water supply to both countries. Attempts to resolve the issue through diplomacy have been unsuccessful. The reservoir’s total capacity is 74 billion cubic meters, and the target for 2021 was to add 13.5 billion, which was required to begin to produce electricity.