The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam and it’s nearing completion, with incredible satellite images showing the progress made since construction began in 2011.
Located on the Blue Nile River, the dam is now at least 95 percent finished and is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
And, the satellite images shared with Newsweek give a clear view of the progress.
The first image, taken in 2011, shows the early construction stages, with the Blue Nile River flowing through an undeveloped brown landscape.
The second picture shows the same location but with the dam nearly fully developed. The dam is visible along the river with a green landscape surrounding it.
The third image shows the GERD Reservoir in January 2017. The reservoir is almost empty with barely any water in it.
The fourth picture was taken seven years later and shows the same reservoir in April 2024. This time, however, it’s filled with dark blue water.
The GERD is set to provide a huge boost to Ethiopia’s energy capacity, with a reservoir that can hold 74 billion cubic metres of water.
The £3.8 billion project aims to generate 6.45 GW of power, enough to supply electricity to millions of homes across the country.
Ethiopia has big ambitions to become a key energy exporter in Africa, and the dam is crucial to those plans.
However, the project is not without its challenges. It has led to tensions with neighbouring Egypt and Sudan, both of which rely heavily on the Nile for fresh water.
Egypt, in particular, is concerned that the dam will reduce its water supply, as over 90 percent of its fresh water coming from the river.
Sudan has raised similar concerns about how the dam might affect its agriculture and water management.
Negotiations between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan have been ongoing for years, but the countries have yet to reach a legally binding agreement on how the Nile’s waters should be shared.
The filling of the GERD’s reservoir, which Ethiopia completed in recent months, has increased tensions, especially as the filling was done during the rainy season, which some fear could lead to reduced water flow during dry periods.
Despite the diplomatic hurdles, Ethiopia is pressing ahead.
The dam produced electricity for the first time in February 2022 and has been steadily increasing its output with the installation of new turbines.
When completed, the GERD will be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power source and a critical part of Ethiopia’s efforts to boost industrial growth.
