Ethiopia: Electricity rationning ends July 8 /update 1

Event

The Ethiopian government announced on Monday, July 8, that it would end its electricity rationing introduced on Friday, May 17, due to the rising level of water at the country's power-generating dams. While domestic customers will be fully provided with power, industries will still face limits. They will be able to use electricity from 23:00 to 05:00 (local time) and required to operate at half of their capacities during the rest of the day, until further notice.

Further power disruptions and associated protests are possible over the coming weeks.

Context

In the past several months, the country has experienced severe power shortages, which has affected factories, businesses, hotels, banks, and internet and telecommunications users. Power rationing has also been implemented in the past to address severe power shortages.

Ethiopia gets 90 percent of its total electricity from hydropower generating plants and is in the process of constructing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the largest hydroelectric dam project on the continent, which is anticipated to begin generating power as early as next year.

Advice

Individuals in Ethiopia are advised to monitor the situation and avoid any associated protests as a precaution. Individuals are also advised to adhere to instructions issued by local authorities.