Ethiopian Electric Power last Monday signed an agreement with GE Hydro France, manufacture of engines and turbines, to accelerate the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Based on the agreement, Hydro France will be paid 53.9 million Euros to manufacture, fix and test turbine generators for five power generating units, including the two turbines that were designed to generate power in advance.
In a related development, discussions have been completed to sign agreements with Sinohydro, Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company, to speed up civil construction works of the dam.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed with China Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd (CGGC), a company which had a sub-contract agreement with Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC), to continue its work at the dam.
In a related development, a delegation led by Dr Engineer Abrham Belay, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ethiopian Electric Power visited the progress of the project.
The CEO said that the government will provide all the necessary to expedite the construction of the dam. (FBC)