Millennium Hydroelectric Project
Introduction to Millennium Hydroelectric Project
- The Project is located on the Abay River in the Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State about 750 km from Addis Ababa via Debre Markos and Chagni. The project has envisaged a plant with an installed capacity of 5,250 MW and 15,128 GWh annual energy generation. The major components of the project include 145 m RCC Dam with 1,780 m long crest. The Dam will create 63 M m3 reservoir with a surface area of 1,680 km2 at full supply level. Two outdoor powerhouses with 3,500 and 1,750 MW installed capacity containing 10 and 5 generating units respectively each with a capacity of 350 WM. Two independent switchyards on the right and left bank of the dam are foreseen to transmit power from the two powerhouses to the grid.
Gated Spillway equipped with 5 radial gates, having a capacity to discharge 11,870 m3/sec. at probable maximum flood occurrence, is located on the left side of the main dam.
A saddle dam on the left side of the RCC dam with an emergency side spillway is envisaged to allow flood discharged directly into the Roseires reservoir. The Saddle Dam will be a central core rock fill dam (CCRD) approximately 5 km long and 45 m high. Construction of 62 km access roads, camps, workshops, and other civil works are part of the foreseen activities comprising the Millennium Hydropower Project.
