Arba Minch University and Christian Aid officials visited and discussed the progress and remaining activities of the Dingamo Pico Hydropower Project which is under construction in Gamo zone, Kamba Zuria Woreda, 200 km away from Gamo Zone Capital, Arba Minch, and 32.5 km from the main grid, on April 20, 2024. Click here to see more photos.
Behailu Merdekios/Assoc. Prof/, the Vice President for Research and Community Engagement at AMU, emphasized the numerous advantages of the Dingamo Pico Hydropower Project that closely aligns with AMU's mission. He highlighted its potential of being replicated and modeled for in other regions of the country and other African countries as well. The Vice President also noted the project's proximity to completion but stressed the need for extraordinary effort and commitment from both parties to finish remaining tasks.
He assured AMU's dedication to promptly fulfilling the project's requirements and acknowledged the pivotal role of Christian Aid officials and experts in supporting and monitoring the project's progress. Additionally, he commended the Dingamo community for their consistent support and cited them as a role model for neighboring communities.
Mbaraka Fazal, Interim Country Director of Christian Aid, highlighted the dual purpose of the visit. “Firstly, as a newcomer, I was eager to learn about the progress of the Pico hydropower project and understand its development. Secondly, Christian Aid prioritizes renewable energy initiatives. Therefore, we aimed to examine the functionality of renewable energy systems, such as the Pico hydro power, to assess their viability for replication in various regions of Ethiopia and across Africa”.
The director expressed her astonishment at the remarkable progress and accomplishments of the project, especially considering its construction in challenging terrain and under a rainy climate. She assured her organization's unwavering support for completing the project, and decisions regarding additional resource allocation will be made after convening with the team to reassess financial resources.
Mr. Beyene Feye, the Project Manager for the Dingamo Pico Hydropower Project, provided an update on the project's progress, stating that 96 percent of the civil works and 80 percent of the electromechanical works have been successfully completed. He noted the financial contributions from Christian Aid and AMU, totaling 8.2 million birr and 6.8 million birr, respectively, encompassing various forms of support.
Mr. Beyene informed that the installation of electromechanical components, including the turbine, generator, pine stock, and electric poles, is imminent, with materials already delivered to the site. He anticipates completing these installation works within the next two weeks. He also emphasized the need for additional funds worth 100-150 thousand pounds and materials to ensure the timely completion of the project within the next five weeks which includes all natural resource management initiatives.
As it was reported several times, Dingamo Pico hydropower project aims to generate 15 KW of hydropower energy, primarily to electrify over 600 households and small businesses in the village.
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