Ethiopia has economically exploitable hydropower potential of more than 30,000 MW, but the vast majority of its domestic energy need is fulfilled by wood fuel and animal dung, a government official lamented on Monday.

At a three-day workshop on the country's hydropower development, Adugna Jebessa, state minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, said the government is undertaking feasibility studies of a number of hydropower projects, including north Ethiopia's Baro and Karadobi hydropower projects, with assistance from Norway.

Norway pledged to grant 7 million U.S. dollars for the feasibility studies of the projects.

According to the present feasibility study, the Baro project consists of two power plants operating in a cascade with an installed capacity of 896 MW. While the exact sizing of Karadobi is not yet clear, the preliminary estimate indicates a plant with an installed capacity of 1,000 to 1,600 MW.

The study includes studies of the power market and transmission system, as a production increase in Ethiopia represents attractive opportunities for power sales to neighboring Egypt and Sudan.

The hydropower projects will also reduce the country's dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels, said Adugna.

Despite Ethiopia's huge hydroelectric potential, the exploitation rate is about only two percent, according to official data.

Source: Xinhua