Addis Ababa gets First Africa Waste to Energy Power Plant

Addis Ababa  August 19/2018 Reppie waste-to-energy power project, which is the first of its kind in Africa, was inaugurated today. The power project was launched in October, 2013 with its total investment of 2.6 billion birr. Located Southwest of Addis Ababa, commonly known as Koshe dump site, Raeppi has been the only landfill in the capital for more than 50 years. This project is identified as municipal solid waste incineration would enable the city to get 185 Giga Watts Hour (GWh) of electricity annually and will incinerate over 1,400 tons of waste daily. The project is jointly constructed by Cambridge Industries Ltd (CIL) and its partner China National Electric Engineering Co. (CNEEC) and Danish Ramboll Engineering. During the construction of the project some 1,300 Ethiopian have got temporary job opportunity and close 300 expatriates were engaged in the project. In large cities like Addis Ababa, waste-to-energy incineration has multifaceted advantages including generating electricity, averting toxic chemical emission into groundwater, and reduces the release of methane into the atmosphere. Reppie project is one part of Ethiopia’s vast strategy to tackle pollution and seize renewable energy across all sectors of the economy, it was indicated. Electric power was officially introduced to Ethiopia in the late 19th century, but the country has not still attains its growing power demand. Currently, Ethiopia has been constructing four hydro power projects includes Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Genale-Dawa III, Koysha Hydro Electric Power  and Ayisha wind farm. The project was fully financed by the government, it was indicated.