PUBLISHED
Nov 02, 2023
-------------- POPULAR
People have been making dams for a very long time to keep water in rivers for farming and for
everyday water use. Recently, the demand for energy has increased, which has made it even more
necessary to use dams to support the growth of industries and provide electricity for homes. Africa
is facing challenges because of its growing population and desire for industrialization. This is
putting strain on resources, including water. In Africa, there are a total of 980 big dams and 589
of them are in South Africa.
In the past ten years, Africa has been building more big dams to get more water and make electricity
from water power. Most of these dams are found on the Nile River, particularly in Ethiopia. When you
look at Ethiopia's mountainous areas and many rivers that are perfect for building dams, choosing
Ethiopia is very clear. The country is named Africa’s water tower because it has lots of water.
At the beginning
of the century, experts believed that Ethiopia could only use 1% of its hydro power potential. This
indicates that there will be many more dams built in the future. Some people believe that the
country is going to become the most powerful and influential in Africa. Currently, Africa's biggest
hydro-electric dam is being built in Ethiopia. Additionally, the largest Arch Dam in Africa has
already been finished.
1. Grand Renaissance Dam - Ethiopia
The Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Ethiopia is the largest dam in Africa right now. It used to be
called the Millennium Dam. It is near Sudan on the Blue Nile river. The building work began in 2011
and the dam now produces 6,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity every year. The reservoir can hold a
lot of water, almost 63 billion square meters or 68 billion square feet. It is one of the biggest
reservoirs in the continent. It covers an area of 1,680 square kilometers.
The dam is really tall, about 475 feet, and it is also really long, about 5,900 feet. The GERD is
expected to cost around Sh753 billion (US$5 billion), which is approximately seven percent of
Ethiopia's gross national product in 2016.
Grand Renaissance Dam - Ethiopia
2. Aswan High Dam - Egypt
The Aswan Dam is a big wall built near the city with the same name in the southern part of Egypt. It
blocks a lake named Lake Nasser and covers an area of 169 square kilometers.
The turbines make 2,100 megawatts of electricity and because they can make so much, the Aswan High
Dam is the second biggest dam in Africa. Differences between Gamal Abdel Nasser and the US and
Britain caused them to stop giving money for the project in 1956. After that, Nasser asked the
Soviet Union for help. It took 11 years to make and was opened in 1971.
Aswan High Dam - Egypt
3. Cahora Bassa Dam - Mozambique
One of the largest dams in the world is found on the Zambezi River in the western part of
Mozambique. The Cahora Bassa Dam can produce 2,075 megawatts of electricity. The object is really
tall, about 171 metres (560 feet), and really wide, about 303 metres (994 feet). It also has a lot
of space inside, about 510 million cubic metres.
The Cahora Bassa dam was built in Africa during the time when countries were gaining independence
from colonial rule. It was a very big project and, when it was finished, it became the fifth largest
dam in the world. Most of the electricity made here is sent and sold to South Africa. A group of
companies from Portugal, Germany, Britain, and South Africa worked together to construct the dam.
The building started in 1969 and finished in 1974, but the final of five 425 MW generators was put
in place in 1979.
Cahora Bassa Dam - Mozambique
4. Gilgel Gibe III - Ethiopia
The dam is in southern Ethiopia, about 350 kilometers southwest of the capital city, Addis Ababa. It
is specifically built on the Omo River, within the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s
Region State (SNNPRS) in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation made a project that cost
Sh275 billion (US$1. 83 billion)
The dam makes 1,870 megawatts of electricity and is the fourth tallest dam in Africa at 243 meters
(797 feet) tall. Gibe III began in July 2006, and the first unit began generating electricity for
testing in September 2013. It was completely finished in December 2016.
Gilgel Gibe III - Ethiopia
5. Inga Dams - DR Congo
The Inga Dams in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are two dams on the Congo River. Inga 1
produces 351 MW of power and Inga 2 produces 1,424 MW of power.
These things were created in 1972 and 1982 as part of a plan that didn't work out. The plan was made
by the leader Mobutu Sese Sekko. The two dams are currently only being used halfway because they
haven't been taken care of properly lately.
The two dams are found in the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, about 225 kilometers
southwest of Kinshasa. The government of Congo wants to build a big power plant called Inga 3. It
will make electricity from water and will cost a lot of money, around Sh2. 1 trillion or US$14
billion.
Inga Dams - DR Congo
6. Merowe Dam - Sudan
About ten years ago, Sudan finished building the Merowe Dam on the lower part of the Nile river. The
dam, which is also called Merowe High Dam, is around nine kilometers long and has a peak height of
up to 67 meters. It is made up of dams made of rocks with concrete covering, one on each side of the
river
.
The dam is going to produce 1,250 megawatts (MW) of electricity. It will use 10 turbines called
Francis turbines, and each turbine will have a capacity of 125 MW. It is the biggest hydropower
project in Africa right now because of its size. The dam was opened on March 3, 2009.
Merowe Dam - Sudan
7. Akosombo Dam - Ghana
Also called the Volta Dam, it is located at the bottom of Lake Volta, on the Volta River in the
southeastern part of Ghana. Lake Volta is a really big lake. It is the biggest lake in the world and
covers an area of 8,502 square kilometers. The turbines produce 912 MW of electricity, but the dam
also helps prevent floods.
The Lake Volta is well-known for being used for trade and travel. The dam is really big, 124 meters
tall and 660 meters long. It was built from 1961 to 1965 and finished a month early. The World Bank,
UK, and US have provided money for a big project in Ghana. It is seen as the biggest investment in
Ghana's economic development plans.
Akosombo Dam - Ghana
8. Kainji Dam - Nigeria
The Kainji Dam is a large dam in Africa. It is located on the Niger River, which is the third longest
river in Africa and the main river in western Africa. The Kainji Dam is the seventh largest dam in
Africa.
It took only four years to build, and it opened in 1968. The dam's job was to regulate the water of
the Niger River until it reached the meeting point with the Kaduna River. It also gave water for
farming and fishing.
Kainji Dam - Nigeria
9. Tekeze Dam - Ethiopia
The Tekeze Dam in Africa is really tall at 188 meters. This is a curved dam in Ethiopia that is
located between the Amhara and Tigray regions. It is located on the Tekeze River, which is a small
river that flows into the Nile. This river runs through a really deep canyon.
However, the dam only produces 300 MW of electricity with its four 75 MW turbines. This is much less
than the amount of hydroenergy produced by the GERD. It took seven years to construct the dam, and
it was opened in 2009.
Tekeze Dam - Ethiopia
10. Bujagali Dam - Uganda
The Bujagali Dam in Uganda is located on the Nile River close to Lake Victoria and generates 250 MW.
The dam has been operating since 2012 and is the biggest hydroelectrical dam in Uganda.
The construction of two new dams, Karuma und Isimba, could change this but this would mean the
resettlement of thousands of farmers and the flooding of protected areas.
Bujagali Dam was initially approved in 1994, as the lowest-cost option to increase power production
in the country, but its construction only began in 2007 and was inaugurated in October 2012.
Bujagali Dam - Uganda
THIS POST HAS 1 COMMENT(S)
Cynthia
Nice topic, keep it rolling