Name and Location
Grand Renaissance dam hydropower project, Ethiopia.

Client
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo).

Project Description
The Grand Renaissance dam hydropower project, located on the Abay river in the Beneshangul Gumuz region, envisages a plant with an installed capacity of 6 000 MW and 15 128 GWh/y.

The major components of the project include a 145 m roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam, with a 1 780-m-long crest.

The dam will create a 63-million cubic metre reservoir, with a surface area of 1 680 km2 at capacity.

The project includes two outdoor powerhouses with 3 500 MW and 1 750 MW installed capacity, containing ten and five generating units respectively.

Two independent switchyards on the right and left bank of the dam are expected to transmit power from the two powerhouses to the grid.

A gated spillway equipped with five radial gates will have the capacity to discharge 11 870 m3/s water.

A saddle dam on the left side of the RCC dam, with an emergency side spillway will allow floodwater to discharge directly into the Roseires reservoir. The saddle dam will be a central core rock-fill dam about 5 km long and 45 m high.

Value
The project is valued at an estimated $4.1-billion.

Duration
The project is expected to be completed by 2015.

Latest Developments
Alstom has signed a €250-million contract with Metals & Engineering Corporation to supply turbines and generators for the hydropower plant.

Alstom will supply and supervise the installation of all electromechanical equipment for the plant, including eight 375 MW turbines and eight generators for the first phase.

The contract also includes engineering and power plant commissioning, which will start in late 2013 and take place in phases over three years.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Alstom (turbine and generators).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
EEPCo, tel +251 11 1 55 95 67, fax +251 11 1 57 1860 or email eepcocommunication@yahoo.com.
Alstom VP corporate external communications, Christine Rahard-Burnat, tel +33 1 41 49 32 95 or
email Christine.rahard@chq.alstom.com.