- Title: Ethiopia starts filling controversial dam after talks with Egypt, Sudan stall
- Date: 15th July 2020
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JULY 12, 2020) (REUTERS) VIEW OF CAIRO TOWER FROM RIVER NILE BOAT DOCKED ON RIVER ROWBOAT ON RIVER VIEW OF RIVER FROM BANK VARIOUS VIEWS OF RIVER AT SUNSET
- Embargoed: 29th July 2020 20:09
- Keywords: Blue Nile hydropower dam Guba ethiopia dam ethiopian water minister grand renaissance dam
- Location: GUBA AND ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA / CAIRO, EGYPT / TUTI ISLAND, KHARTOUM, SUDAN
- City: GUBA AND ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA / CAIRO, EGYPT / TUTI ISLAND, KHARTOUM, SUDAN
- Country: Ethiopia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA004CMX94JR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The reservoir behind the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is filling, its water minister said on Wednesday (July 15), a day after talks with Sudan and Egypt on the giant Blue Nile hydroelectric project stalled.
Sudan and Egypt both fear the $4 billion dam could lead to water shortages in their own nations.
"The construction of the dam and the filling of the water go hand in hand," Ethiopian Water Minister Seleshi Bekele said in televised comments, a transcript of which was provided to Reuters by his office.
The water level had increased from 525 metres to 560 metres, he said.
The comments by Seleshi did not address whether Ethiopia had closed the gates of the dam. The area has also seen recent heavy rainfall.
The dam, when finished, will have an installed capacity of 6,450 megawatts - more than doubling Ethiopia's existing capacity - and is the centrepiece of the country's bid to become Africa's biggest power exporter.
(Production: Helena Williams, Polly Rider) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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