Resource information
The development plan of the Federal
Government of Ethiopia emphasized low-cost energy supply as
a prerequisite to the enhancement of industrial and economic
development for the period 1984-1993. Current power planning
studies have estimated Ethiopia's hydropower potential
at 30,000 MW, which greatly exceeds foreseeable domestic
demands. Presently, only 1 percent of the potential is
utilized. The government has therefore initiated the
implementation of the Gilgel Gibe hydroelectric power plant
to enhance industrial development and increase its national
income through export sales of surplus energy to neighboring
countries. The World Bank-assisted Ethiopia Second Energy,
projected to end in the year 2000 will help to realize this
objective. The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO)
will implement the construction of the power plant, whose
reservoir will cover an area of 6200 ha, necessitating land
acquisition and involuntary resettlement. An environmental
assessment (EA) including a social assessment was carried
out and a resettlement action plan (RAP) designed to address
the adverse social impacts presumed to be linked to the
building of the reservoir. The reservoir as well as the
resettlement site are located in the Oromia Region under the
Jima zone administration. The host population and the
resettled population are both Oromo and of Moslem faith. The
main economic activity of the population is agriculture and
animal husbandry.
