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Construction of the Koysha Hydroelectric Project on the lower Omo River has reached 77% overall completion, according to state-owned utility Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).
The 201-meter-tall roller-compacted concrete (RCC) structure—slated to become Ethiopia’s second-largest hydropower asset after the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)—is advancing toward the commissioning of its initial generating units.
Key Construction Milestones
Project Manager Engineer Mebratu Teshome reported substantial headway across civil and electro-mechanical workstreams:
- Earthwork & RCC Placement: Bulk excavation works requiring 6.4 million cubic meters of earth and rock clearance are wrapping up to support the main dam structure.
- Civil Infrastructure:Excavation for the outdoor powerhouse and Phase 1 civil works are nearing final stages.
- Electro-Mechanical Delivery: Component fabrication and electro-mechanical equipment assembly are accelerating to meet installation schedules.
Addressing Delays & Timeline
The project’s progress follows previous schedule revisions caused by external financing constraints and foreign currency supply bottlenecks. Despite these disruptions, civil and structural operations have regained momentum.
Ethiopian Electric Power expects primary dam construction to conclude within the current fiscal year, paving the way for commercial testing and the operational launch of the facility’s first turbine unit.
Project Overview
| Metric | Specification |
| Installed Capacity | ~1,800 – 2,160 MW |
| Dam Height / Type | 201 m (Roller-Compacted Concrete) |
| Location | Omo River Basin, South West Ethiopia |
| Annual Energy Output | ~6,460 GWh |
| Developer / Contractor | Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) / Webuild |
Once fully commissioned, Koysha will feed directly into the national grid while expanding Ethiopia’s cross-border electricity export capacity across East Africa.
