The work on the biggest African dam continues: another significant supply of metals and plastics is ready for the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, seventh biggest dam in the world, continues non-stop. Musola Metalli keeps contributing as a supplier.
We have already talked about the African dam in another article, but today we would like to delve into this project, which should be done by summer of 2017.
The work on the biggest African dam continues
The dam is about 500 km North from the capital Addis Abeba, in the region of Benishangul-Gumuz, on the Blue Nile River. At the end of the works it will be the largest dam in Africa: length 1800 m, height 170 m, and an overall volume of 10 million of m3.
The main dam will be made of Rolled Compacted Concrete (RCC), with two power plants at its foot. Power plants are on the left and right sides of the river and have 16 Francis turbines (overall power of 6.000 MW and an expected production of 15.000 Gwh/year). A concrete spillway and a 5 km Concrete Faced Rockfill Dam (CFRD), both on the left side, complete the project.
The Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam under construction
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam construction
Some technical data to underline the importance of this project:
Main dam
- Type: gravity dam made of Rolled Compacted Concrete (RCC)
- Maximum height: 170 m
- Length: 1800 m
- Height above the sea level: 645 m
- Dam volume: 10.000.000 m3
- Emergency spillway without sluice gates, in the central part of the dam
Concrete Faced Rockfill Dam
- Type: rockfill dam with waterproof asphalt vestment
- Maximum height: 50 m
- Length: 5000 m
- Height above the sea level: 645 m
- Dam volume: 16.000.000 m3
- Emergency spillway without sluice gates, on the right of the dam
Reservoir characteristics
- Volume: 63 billion m3
- Surface: 1800 km2
Power plants
- Right shore: 10 Francis turbines of 375 MW each
- Left shore: 6 Francis turbines of 375 MW each
Spillway
- Threshold controlled by sector sluice gates, concrete-lined outlet channel, dissipation pit and unlined return channel
- Capacity: 15.000 m3/s
- Sluice gates: 6 with dimension 14 x 15.5 m
Extra work
- 1 substation of 500 kV
- 120 km of street and a bridge on the Blue Nile River (235 meters long)
- Area to accommodate 11.000 people
GRAND ETHIOPIAN RENAISSANCE DAM – LINK
