Aleltu Hydroelectric Project Summary
Project Overview
The Aleltu Hydroelectric Project is a major development in Ethiopia, located about 80 km north of Addis Ababa. The reconnaissance and prefeasibility studies were conducted in 1983-1984 to evaluate its technical and economic viability.
Key Project Details
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Capacity | 1,020 MW (staged development across 12 sub-basins) |
| First Stage Capacity | 300 MW (Tiliku Aleltu and Jida developments) |
| Annual Energy Potential | 3,592 GWh (ultimate), 1,040 GWh (first stage) |
| Gross Head | 1,070 meters |
| Drainage Area | 4,230 kmĀ² (total project area) |
First Stage Development
The recommended first stage includes:
- Tiliku Aleltu Development: 458 kmĀ² drainage area, 5.6 mĀ³/s average flow, 60% regulation
- Jida Development: 749 kmĀ² drainage area, 8.2 mĀ³/s average flow, 100% regulation
- Power Conveyance: 16.3 km tunnel and 2.1 km penstock to powerhouse
- Powerhouse: Surface type with 6 Pelton turbine units (51 MW each)
Key Findings
- Technically and economically attractive at prefeasibility level
- Recommended to proceed with feasibility study
- Immediate recommendations include installing additional streamflow stations and obtaining 1:50,000 scale mapping
- Project would help meet Ethiopia's growing electricity demand
Next Steps
- Conduct full feasibility study
- Install additional monitoring stations
- Obtain detailed topographic mapping
- Continue environmental and social impact assessments
Project Benefits
- Large generating head (1,070 m) enables efficient power generation
- Proximity to Addis Ababa reduces transmission costs
- Staged development allows flexible implementation
- Low investment cost compared to alternatives