US firm GTA to install 300 MW of solar parks in Ethiopia - report

Oct 27, 2014 - Ethiopian Electric Power Corp has selected US firm Green Technology Africa Inc (GTA) to help it add 300 MW of fresh solar capacity in Amhara state, The Reporter said Saturday.

Financing for the USD-600-million (EUR 473.2m) project will come mainly through the US Power Africa Initiative, the newspaper noted.

The two involved companies have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the project, which supports the government's efforts to expand the renewable energy industry in the African country. The partnership is also in line with Ethiopia’s five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), GTA chief executive Dereje Mesfin was cited as saying.

The 300 MW of solar systems, to be owned by the government, will be located in the areas of Dire Dawa, Kombolcha and Desse, according to the report. The pre-feasibility study for the project has already been completed, conducted by the state-owned utility. GTA, which will serve as the turnkey contractor for the solar farms, will set up a base in Ethiopia within six months.

The solar power produced by the future plants will be supplied to the national grid under an agreement with the Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.789)

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