Ethiopia has sealed a landmark $600 million deal to build what will be the Horn of Africa’s largest onshore wind farm.
The Ministry of Finance signed an agreement today with UAE-based renewable energy developer AMEA POWER to construct the mammoth 300 MW Aysha Wind Power Project.
Located in the country’s Afar regional state, the wind farm will span an area of 18,000 hectares and involve the installation of over 100 wind turbines.
Officials say the Aysha project is expected to produce 1.22 terawatt-hours of electricity annually once fully operational. This significant boost for the country aspiring to export one billion dollar yearly.
Finance Minister Ahmed Shide said the “strong government-to-government support” that AMEA Power will receive to ensure successful implementation of the Aysha Wind Power Project.
He described the UAE-based company as a “prominent private sector player” well-equipped to deliver a project of this scale and significance.
Abebe Gebrehiwot, Director of the Ministry’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Directorate, mirrored the Minister’s sentiments.
He stated that the Aysha project “represents a major stride in Ethiopia’s journey towards increasing clean energy production, providing sustainable electricity to our people, and driving economic growth and job creation in the region.”