| Title | Geothermal Development in Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Authors | Meseret Teklemariam, Kibret Beyene, Yiheyis AmdeBerhan and Zewde Gebregziabher |
| Year | 2000 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | Ethiopia, country update, geothermal exploration, development, pilot power plant |
| Abstract | Geothermal exploration activity, that started in the year 1969 in Ethiopia, has revealed the existence of both low- and highenthalpy geothermal resources in the Ethiopian Rift valley and in the Afar depression, which are both part of the great East African Rift System. The utilization of the geothermal resources were only restricted for the use of resort and therapeutic purposes until the end of the year 1998, when the testing of the geothermal power plant with a capacity of about 5-7 MWe went on-line at the Aluto- Langano geothermal field. The Ethiopian Institute of Geological Survey (EIGS) handed over this geothermal field to the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) for development. The Aluto-Langano pilot power plant has been operational since July 1998, and the commissioning work by EEPCO was finalized on June 16, 1999. The design power output of the pilot power plant is 8.52 MWe (Gross) and 7.28 MWe (net; Table 1). This pilot power plant is the first geothermal power plant producing electricity in the country. In the Tendaho geothermal field, a production test and feasibility study is currently in progress. This feasibility study indicates that four productive wells (out of six) of this geothermal field could supply enough steam to operate a pilot power plant of about 5 MWe. |