Koysha Hydroelectric Power

Koysha Hydroelectric Power is a hydropower gravity dam built in Omo River in South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region and currently under construction since 2016. Owned by the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), the dam produces up to 6,460 Giga watt-hours (GWh) of electricity. In May 2016, the Italian firm Salini Impregilo contracted with EEP to build 170 meter high rolled compacted concrete (RCC) and the reservoir volume is 6000 million cubic to produce 6,460 GWh power generation capacity annually. Once completed, the dam will be the second-largest dam in Ethiopia after the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

According to the Project Deputy Manager Abayneh Getnet, the dam reached 60% completion in September 2023 and expected to generate 1,800MW electric power. Overall, the dam deployed six turbines, each generating 300 megawatts with turbine and ventilation houses. After its completion, an artificial lake creation in the region was proposed.

History
Koysha Hydroelectric Project a 2.16 gigawatt hydroelectric gravity dam built on 28 March 2016 in Omo River, South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region. It is owned by the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) with an estimated investment of  £1.93bn ($2.80bn). In May 2016, the Italian firm Salini Impregilo sign contract to build the dam with €2.5 billion. Salini predicted that the dam would be a 170 meter high roller compacted concrete (RCC) and the reservoir volume is 6000 million cubic to produce 6,460 GWh power generation capacity annually. Once completed, the hydroelectric dam will be the second-largest dam in Ethiopia after the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) generate up to 6,460 Giga watt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while counterbalancing approximately one million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 annually. It has 201 meters height and 1012 meters length. On 28 September 2023, the dam reached 60% of completion. According to the project Deputy Manager Abayneh Getnet, the dam expected to generate 1,800MW electric power.

The hydropower reservoir capacity is 9,000 million cubic meter with total number of pipes and long channels running water to the turbines is expected to be 3 in number. The project deployed six turbines, each generating 300 megawatts with turbine and ventilation houses. Getnet added that after completion of the project, an artificial lake with 130 kilometers long and 200 square kilometers will be created. According to the project main engineer Eugenio Zoppis, the project created with considerable knowledge and technology. Addis Fortune reported in 2024 that the dam construction was postponed in several occasions due to recurrent forex crisis in the country.