Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, drawing formal protest from downstream nation Egypt over potential threats to its water security.

About the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

• Location: The GERD, formerly known as the Millennium Dam, is situated in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region, near the Sudanese border.
• River: Built on the Blue Nile, a major tributary of the Nile, the dam rises 170 metres and spans nearly 2 km across the river.
• Structure: It is a gravity-type roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam featuring two power stations, three spillways, and a saddle dam.
• Construction & Cost: Construction started in 2011 with an estimated cost of around USD 4 billion.
• Capacity & Power Generation: Designed to store 74 billion cubic metres of water and generate 5,150 MW of electricity, more than doubling Ethiopia’s current electricity capacity.
• Significance: The GERD is Africa’s largest power-capacity dam, though it does not rank among the top ten globally.

Regional Concerns

• Egypt’s Water Security: Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 97% of its water, views GERD as an “existential threat” to its water security.
• Sudan’s Concern: Sudan and other downstream countries have raised worries about potential flooding and the management of water flow.

About Nile River 

• • Overview: The Nile, Africa’s longest river, flows north for approximately 6,650 km.
  • Drainage Basin: Its basin spans 11 countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt.

• Main Tributaries:

• • White Nile: Considered the headstream of the Nile, its most distant source is the Kagera River in Burundi, which flows through Rwanda into Lake Victoria. 
    • The White Nile officially begins at Jinja, Uganda, where it exits Lake Victoria.
  • Blue Nile: Originates from Lake Tana in Ethiopia and joins the White Nile at Khartoum, Sudan, contributing over 80% of the Nile’s total flow by the time it reaches Egypt.
• Other Tributaries: Additional tributaries include the Sobat River, Atbara River, Bahr el Ghazal, and others.
• Delta: The Nile forms an arcuate delta as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Significance The river is crucial for Egypt and Sudan, supporting drinking water, irrigation, and energy production.

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