Addis Abeba — Ethiopia will implement strictly regulated water usage and integrated dam water management to compensate for the rain deficit recorded during the summer season, the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) said.
The measures will be implemented during the 2019 Ethiopian fiscal year as the state power utility targets the generation of 32,134 gigawatt-hours of electricity, according to Engineer Eyayehu Hundessa, Executive Director of Power Plants Operation at EEP.
Eyayehu said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is expected to account for 44% of the planned generation, followed by Gibe III with 19.3% and the Beles Power Station with 7.8%.
He said the water management measures are intended to help maintain electricity generation despite the rainfall deficit experienced during the summer season. The generation plan could be revised after rainfall distribution is assessed through October, he added.
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EEP also said all power stations must be kept operational and avoid preventable generation losses to meet the annual target. Eyayehu urged power stations to intensify preventive maintenance, inspection and repair activities to help meet growing national electricity demand.
Red Sea trade The utility plans to strengthen the technical capacity of its professionals through on-the-job training involving senior international experts with extensive experience in the power sector, according to EEP.
The institution also plans to improve working conditions by renovating residential housing, upgrading cafeterias, improving drinking-water supplies and expanding recreational facilities.
Eyayehu further urged employees to properly use occupational safety equipment and protective clothing while carrying out their duties.
Meanwhile, EEP Chief Executive Officer Engineer Ashebir Balcha said the utility generated $475.7 million from electricity exports in the 2018 Ethiopian fiscal year, representing a 25% increase from the previous year.
EEP reported generating 9,730 megawatts during the fiscal year, a 23% increase compared with the preceding year. It recorded total revenue of 124.2 billion birr and a net profit of 39.5 billion birr, with overall performance reaching 101.83% of its annual target.
Addis Ababa tourism Hydropower accounted for 97% of total electricity generated during the year, according to the utility.
EEP also announced plans to launch the Genale Dawa 6 hydropower project, the second phase of the Aisha wind power project and a 100-megawatt solar power project financed domestically. The Aisha wind project is expected to be completed with a generation capacity of 40 megawatts.
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The latest water-management measures come amid concerns over the potential impact of El Niño on Ethiopia's hydropower-dependent electricity supply. On 19 August 2026, Addis Standard reported, citing Xinhua, that the Ethiopian government had warned of the potential effects of the anticipated El Niño phenomenon on the country's energy sector and called for proactive measures.
With more than 90% of Ethiopia's electricity generated from hydropower, the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) warned that El Niño-related changes in rainfall patterns could affect the stability and security of the national power grid. The phenomenon can disrupt rainfall distribution, increase temperatures and contribute to drought and water shortages, potentially reducing water inflows into hydropower reservoirs.
EEP cautioned that declining reservoir levels could limit the operating capacity of turbines, particularly when water levels fall below minimum generation thresholds. A widening gap between electricity supply and demand could in turn lead to rotational power shedding and outages affecting households and key economic sectors.
The utility identified energy-source diversification, integrated water-resource management, improved weather forecasting and stronger energy-conservation measures as key steps to mitigate the risks posed by El Niño to power security.
The warning provides context for EEP's latest plan to introduce strictly regulated water usage and integrated dam water management during the 2019 Ethiopian fiscal year as the country seeks to offset the effects of a rain deficit recorded during the summer season.
