Addis Ababa, (AMECO)— Ethiopia has unveiled a $30.65bn, 25-year national master plan to overhaul its electricity distribution network, as official projections forecast a near-tenfold surge in domestic power demand over the next quarter-century.
According to the study commissioned by the state-run Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU), nationwide power demand is expected to climb from a baseline of 4,289 megawatts (MW) to 39,327MW by 2049.
The roadmap, covering the period from 2024 to 2049, was funded by the World Bank and prepared by the Iranian engineering consultancy Monenco. It is designed to resolve distribution bottlenecks, expand grid coverage and transition the country’s power infrastructure to digital operations.
Unveiling the report in Addis Ababa, the chief executive of the EEU, Getu Geremew, said the plan accounts for rapid population growth, swift urbanisation, rising per capita energy consumption and expanding technological demands. He noted that the master plan delivers load forecasting for distribution lines and transformers, environmental and social impact assessments, and a framework for integrating digital technologies across the grid.
Sara Namdar, head of the power distribution department at Monenco Iran, said the two-and-a-half-year study combined local operational insights with international technical expertise to modernise the national grid and support Ethiopia’s long-term economic development.
