Ethiopia prepares to double its electricity exports to Kenya
From December 2026, peak exports over the 1,045km interconnector are set to rise from 200MW to 400MW.
Key points
- Ethiopia plans to double peak electricity exports to Kenya from 200MW to 400MW from December 2026, Ethiopian Electric Power said in September.
- Power flows over a 1,045km, 500kV high-voltage direct current interconnector operating since late 2022.
- Ethiopia also exports to Djibouti and Sudan and supplies 100MW to Tanzania on a pilot basis.
Ethiopia is getting ready to double its electricity exports to Kenya. From December 2026, peak supply is set to rise from 200MW to 400MW, and off-peak supply from 65MW to 150MW.
"Technical and related works between the two nations have reached their final stages," said Destalem Hailu, Ethiopian Electric Power's Deputy CEO for Transmission.
The interconnector
The power flows through a 1,045-kilometre, 500kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line between the two countries, which cost about $1.26 billion and has been operating since late 2022.
A regional power hub
Ethiopia's big hydropower projects, led by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, have given it surplus electricity to sell. It already exports to Djibouti and Sudan, and is supplying 100MW to Tanzania on a pilot basis. Talks are also under way with South Sudan and Somalia.
Why it matters
Cross-border power trade lets countries share clean energy and cut costs. For Kenya, which is also working to expand its own generation, imported hydropower adds cheap, low-carbon supply. For Ethiopia, exports bring in much-needed foreign currency.
Sources
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