Ethiopia begins 5th filling of Renaissance Dam without agreement

CAIRO – 17 July 2024: Geologist Abbas Sharaqy posted Wednesday a satellite photo of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) announcing that the fifth filling had begun in the morning and that it is expected to conclude in the first week of September.

The expert pointed out that six billion cubic meters had been released to heighten up the middle wall to the current 640 meters, and then refilled. As such, the reservoir is ready to hold 64 billion meters up from 41 billion cubic meters.

Extra quantities would flow above the middle wall and through the saddle dam. The current water flow at the dam is 300 million cubic meters per day but will gradually rise to an average of 600 million cubic meters per day in August.

Sharaky estimated in June that the middle wall of the GERD would be raised from 625 meters to 640 meters, and that the maximum quantity of the fifth filling would be 23 billion cubic meters upping the total in the reservoir to 64 billion cubic meters from 41 billion cubic meters.

Sharaky gave an overview of the past four fillings, and that used to start early in July – of each year starting 2020 - in tandem with the start of the rain season.

In the first, the height of the wall was 565 meters and the quantity was around five billion cubic meters. In the second, the height was 576 meters and the quantity was three billion cubic meters. In the third, the height was 600 meters and the quantity was nine billion cubic meters. In the fourth, the height was less than 625 meters and the quantity was 24 billion cubic meters.

The geologist pointed out on his Facebook account that it would be pointless to make the reservoir that full if the remaining 11 turbines were not installed as either way the water would be released. Yet, if there are only the current two turbines, the large amount of reserved water would only put a strain on the body of both the main and saddle dams without generating the planned quantity of electricity.

The expert also noted a difference this year as the water exceeding the reservoir's capacity will no longer just pass above the middle wall because it will be heightened giving for the first time full control of the filling process.

As such, the reserved water will be released through the two upper floodgates (300 million cubic meters daily), two lower floodgates (150 million cubic meters daily), and two turbines (50 million cubic meters daily) ahead of the rain season. He added that if 23 billion cubic meters are held this year, that might be the last filling of the dam.

Constructions in the Grand Renaissance Dam started on April 2, 2011 at a cost of $4.8 billion. It was built by the Italian construction and engineering company Salini Impergilo. The dam is located on the Blue Nile with a planned reservoir capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, and was expected to generate up to 6,000 megawatts of power.

However, it is estimated to generate only 3,000 megawatts, as the number of turbines to be installed has been reduced to 13 turbines down from 16. On the other hand, Egypt has been warning of the unilateral acts of Ethiopia for their harmful impact on its annual water share of 55.5 billion cubic meters, especially during drought and extended drought, urging a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.