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ETHIOPIA: 47 TOWNS GET ELECTRICITY IN 6 MONTHS February 6, 2006
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has extended its services to 47 towns over the past six months through its national power supply program, the management said Sunday.
The public relations manager of the state-owned EEPCo, Mr. Sendeku Araya said that the firm over the period executed significant activities in power generation, distribution and transmission as well as regular activities that cost it over 3 billion birr (346 million U.S. dollars).
Sendeku said the firm has made available power to 12 towns in Somali, ten towns in Afar and nine towns in Benishangul Gumuz states .He added that the firm has reached two towns in Gambella, six towns in South Ethiopia People's, five towns in Oromia and two towns in the Amhara states with the service. The EEPCo has made power available to 47 towns satisfying the needs of 71,301 additional subscribers, Sendeku said.
Sendeku said 30 percent of the Gilgel Ghibe II power generation project has been completed.
Only 13 percent of Ethiopia’s population has access to electricity but that is expected to rise to 20 percent by 2012.