Ethiopia inaugurates Africa's largest dam
On Tuesday, September 9, the moment had arrived. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated the huge dam, which is now Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant on the Blue Nile.
It is a historic success, which the prime minister commented on X with the following words: “Ethiopia has risen.” For Egypt, however, the new power plant raises existential fears.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) now reports on the creation of the huge structure and on “the divisive power of water in an explosive region,” drawing on our satellite images.
The power plant is expected to double Ethiopia's electricity production. What is a driver of development for some, in this case the inhabitants of Ethiopia, is a threat to others. Egypt, for example, fears that Ethiopia could cut off its water supply. The inflow from Ethiopia is of great importance to Egypt. According to the SZ, 85 percent of the Nile water that reaches Egypt comes from the Blue Nile.
Construction began in March 2011. Our satellite images from 2017, 2020, and 2022 clearly show the progress of construction and the filling of the reservoir.
And from even higher up
Looking at the area around the new hydroelectric power plant from an even greater height, you can see how the landscape has also changed as a result of the construction. What was once a fairly narrow river has become a large, dammed body of water.
In addition to the construction process and the inauguration, the SZ article also addresses the political dimension of the hydroelectric power plant.
You can find the article here.
