Ethiopians at home and abroad should come together for the realization of the Grand Millennium Dam•

Ethiopia has planned to build “The Great Millennium Dam at a coast of 4.8 billion USD. The foundation stone of this project has already laid on the 2nd April 2011 by His Excellency Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The Ethiopian government has been exerting tremendous efforts to develop its hydro power since the past ten years using its natural resources. This is not only to meet the power need of the alarming economic growth and the boosting industry but also to contribute for the GDP.



Sufficing power energy demands on the other hand and effectively manipulating the income generating possibilities of the country’s water resource on the other hand are the two major reasons in investing too much in this area. According to available evidences the water potential of the country is estimated to be 74 billion
cubic meters, estimated to produce 73,707 Mega Watts of Electric power. In the past ten years, the government of Ethiopia has exerted tremendous effort to develop hydro power production.
The journey so far is so courageous that the country is in the right truck to realize its vision. The 180 MW Gilgel Gibe Hydroelectric facilities and the 150 MW Gojeb began its operation in 2004. The investment of the government of Ethiopia in this a rea has alarmingly increasing since then. The Tekeze, the Tana Beles and the Gilegel Ghibe II Power generating stations began generating 1000 Mega
Watt electric power. Gibe II then used the water discharged by Gibe I through the 26 kilometers tunnel constructed under Fofa Mountain generating 420 Mega Watts. Ethiopia has now planned to build the largest dam on the Nile River. Different
issues are raised towards this dam. However, the bare facts are the construction od this dam could promote the economic and social integrations of all countries around the basin. It also helps to minimize4 electric power shortages in neighboring countries. All Ethiopians at home and abroad should come together and contribute their shares for the realization of this huge project.