Ethiopia’s Koysha Hydropower Project Reaches 78.36% Completion

What changed

Ethiopia’s Koysha Hydropower Project has reached 78.36% completion, bringing the country’s second-largest hydropower development after the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam closer to operation. On the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia, the project is designed to generate 1,800 megawatts and about 6,344 gigawatt-hours annually.

Construction progress is tangible: 82.29% of the dam’s required concrete has been placed, including 250,000 cubic metres during the latest quarter against a 255,000-cubic-metre target. Work is also continuing on six turbines and the systems that will discharge and convey water.

Why it matters

Koysha is becoming less a blueprint and more a physical asset. The dam’s left wing has reached 145 metres, while other sections average 138 metres toward a planned final height of 201.5 metres. Once completed, its generating capacity could materially expand Ethiopia’s electricity supply and give the country more power to offer regional markets.

That outcome still depends on the final construction and the infrastructure needed to use and move the electricity. No commissioning date, transmission plan or power-sale agreement is given, so the 78.36% figure marks substantial progress rather than a confirmed start of generation.