Wind Park For Ethiopia

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From, ESI-AFRICA.COM: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — — 17 November 2010 – The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Terra Energy Developers for the engineering, procurement and construction of an estimated 400MW wind park project in Debre Berhan, 130 km north of the capital.

The memorandum states that Terra Energy ‒ based in Nevada in the United States ‒ will set up a wind turbine assembly plant in Ethiopia and arrange the required financing. It was decided that Terra Energy ‒ a joint venture between Princeton Energy Group, Global Enterprise Engineering Solutions and Pacific Renewable Energy Consulting ‒ will also handle the technology transfer and manage the plant.

The agreement, which is valid for one year, was signed by EEPCo CEO Mehiret Debebe and five representatives of Terra. They included two Ethiopians, chief operations officer Behailu Assefa, and director of African operations Dereje Abebe

Debre Berhan wind park ‒ one of the seven wind projects EEPCo plans to implement in the next five years ‒ was initially estimated to be able to generate 100MW in the power corporation’s plan. Acting director of corporate planning Mekuria Lemma explained that this projection was amended, however, after a subsequent assessment showed that it was possible to produce 400MW in the area.

Terra Energy is expected to complete a feasibility study, environmental impact assessment and financial proposal by the end of the contract year.

Close to 1 000MW of the 8 000MW by which Ethiopia’s power generating capacity is planned to increase over the next five years is estimated by EEPCo will come from wind energy.