Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
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The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD or TaIHiGe; Amharic: ታላቁ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዳሴ ግድብ, romanized: Tālāqu ye-Ītyōppyā Hidāsē Gidib, Tigrinya: ግድብ ሕዳሰ ኢትዮጵያ, Oromo: Hidha Haaromsaa Guddicha Itoophiyaa, Somali: Biyo Xidheenka Wayn ee Itoobiya), formerly known as the Millennium Dam and sometimes referred to as the Hidase Dam (Amharic: ሕዳሴ ግድብ, romanized: Hidāsē Gidib, Oromo: Hidha Hidāsē), is a gravity dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. The dam is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 14 km (9 mi) east of the border with Sudan. Constructed between 2011 and 2023, the dam's primary purpose is electricity production to relieve Ethiopia's acute energy shortage and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. With an installed capacity of 5.15 gigawatts, the dam is the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa and among the 20 largest in the world. The first phase of filling the reservoir began in July 2020 and in August 2020 the water level rose to an altitude of 540 meters (40 meters higher than the bottom of the river, which is at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level). The second phase of filling was completed on 19 July 2021, with water levels rising to an altitude of around 575 meters. The third filling was completed on 12 August 2022 to a level of an altitude of 600 metres (2,000 ft). The fourth filling was completed on 10 September 2023 with water levels at around 625 metres (2,051 ft). The fifth and last filling was completed in October 2024, with a final water level at altitude of around 640 metres (2,100 ft). According to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the dam's inauguration was set for the second half of 2025. On 20 February 2022, the dam produced electricity for the first time, delivering 375 MW to the grid. A second 375 MW turbine was commissioned in August 2022. The third and fourth 400 MW turbines were commissioned in August 2024. The dam's official opening was 9 September 2025.