H

THE PROJECT HERALD
The Intelligence Ledger of
Projects, Capital, Companies and Policy

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

Country
Ethiopia
Sector
Power / Energy
Intelligence Type
Project
Status / Stage
Completed
Estimated Value
USD 5000000000
Confidence
Highly Confirmed

Project Details

Project TypeHydroelectric Dam
Project OwnerEthiopian Electric Power (EEP)
Main ContractorWebuild Group (formerly Salini Impregilo) — main civil works
Financing InstitutionGovernment of Ethiopia and Ethiopian public (bond/contribution financing); supplementary Chinese loans
Start DateApril 2011
Actual CompletionSeptember 9, 2025 (official inauguration)
Current PhaseOperational
Funding StatusClosed

Key Issues / Risks

Long-running diplomatic tension with Egypt and Sudan over Nile water rights; Egypt has characterized the dam as an 'existential' threat to its water security.

Latest Development (Detail)

Africa's largest dam by capacity (approx. 5,150-6,450 MW depending on source). All four main turbines commissioned by August 2024; officially inaugurated September 2025. A connected $4.2bn, 25-year gas supply deal between Dangote Group and China's GCL Group (signed March 2026) leverages GERD-secured power for a Dangote urea fertiliser complex in Ethiopia's Somali Region.

Commercial Opportunity Intelligence

Commercial ReadinessVery Early

Source & Verification Trail

Last VerifiedMarch 2026
Source(s)Wikipedia; Water Power Magazine; Mongabay; NPR
Source DateMarch 2026

This project has been fully tracked to completion. Read the complete Project Dossier →