ADDIS ABABA (The Ethiopian Herald) – Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project manager said that all necessary preparations were made to start first phase filling GERD that has been under construction for the past nine years.
The project Manager, Eng. Kifle Horo, said that, following the order of the government, the hydraulic and structure works are nearing completion and ready for first phase of filling the dam. By pointing that, in order to start the filling the dam, construction must reach 560 meter and the side construction of the dam is underway to reach 572. Works are underway to speed up construction of steel and pipeline, he indicated.
Preparation is underway to start filling GERD before the entry of the rainy season. Steel and hydraulic works are given due attention and first phase of holding water of unit 9 and 10 are given high attention, he indicated.
The construction of metal and engineering part of the dam is going fast-pace and the hydraulic work reached 45 percent after [the hydraulic work is] given to another contractor. The hydraulic structure done by the Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC) lacks quality and ordered to be removed and reconstructed. This will help to start the first phase of filling the dam, Eng. Kifle said.
The project will not be interrupted by the current coronavirus pandemic. The workers are doing their daily activity following the guidelines from the Ministry of Health and all necessary actions are being taken to protect the employee from the pandemic. All passengers arriving at the dam site both from abroad and local will be subject to a 14-day quarantine, Eng. Kifle says.
Close to 7,000 workers are engaging in the dam activity, and construction of quarantine and health service centers are underway if there is a sudden happening of the virus among the workers. The construction of the dam is undergoing as planned and reached 73.7 percent, Eng. Kifle noted.
Egypt wants the dam to release a minimum of 40 billion cubic meters of water from the GERD annually and the filling process to be held in 12- to 20-year period of time; and also to wait until the Aswan Dam reached 165 meter above sea level. Ethiopia rejected the proposal, the Ethiopian Herald reported.
Source: Ethiopian Press Agency