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ETHIOPIA: Supporting technical sustainability of Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) by RTE International

Project

Energy
ETHIOPIE : Partenariat entre Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) et RTE International
© Didier Gentilhomme
Project start date
Status

Ongoing

Project end date
Project duration
2 years
AFD financing amount
1 200 000 €
Country and region
Africa, Ethiopia
Location
Ethiopia
Type of financing
Grant
Beneficiaries
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Finance
Type of beneficiary
State
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The aim of this partnership is to provide EEP with technical assistance in areas of strategic importance for the safety and sustainability of its network, plus support to optimize and improve network operation.

Ethiopia's electricity sector is experiencing strong growth; between 2008 and 2023, Ethiopia increased its generation capacity from 755 MW to 5,200 MW. Ethiopia now aims to increase its production capacity to 17,056 MW by 2030.

However, Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) is facing technical and organizational challenges in meeting the expectations of Ethiopian society and the commitments of its government.

The technical support offered by this project is based on the relationship of trust and proximity developed between the Ethiopian public operator (EEP) and French electric transmission operator RTE international (RTEi).

RTE will support EEP through the following actions: 

  • Diagnosing and making recommendations on the specifications and maintenance of different categories of strategic and costly assets.
  • A total review of transmission system protection settings, covering all fault protection systems that currently protect 200 substations, 400 power transformers and 330 transmission lines.
  • Complete diagnostics on the existing 400 EEP power transformers and propose a preventive or corrective action plan for critical assets.

Successful implementation of this project will lead to:

  • Adjustment of the national protection plan for current and future assets, safeguarding equipment from costly damage thus reducing power quality problems directly linked to unsafe operation;
  • Study trips to France with RTE international for 8 general managers and 13 transmission maintenance managers to better anticipate technical, organizational and regulatory changes to be implemented in Ethiopia in the coming years;
  • A diagnosis that will enable EEP to standardize its purchasing of high value-added network equipment;
  • Support in upgrading in terms of operational performance, to optimize and improve the operation of the existing network;
  • The standardization and rationalization of technical specifications of future transmission network assets with all the benefits of digital technologies, and in compliance with good engineering practice for all strategic and critical assets.