China, Ethiopia to work on hydropower

BEIJING, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- Ethiopia said it hopes to boost its cooperation with China in electric power.

Chinese Minister of Construction Wang Guangtao recently traveled to Ethiopia to meet with the country's Minister of Mine and Energy Alemayehu Tegenu, Xinhua news agency reported

Tegenu said Ethiopia has economically exploitable hydropower potential of more than 45,000 megawatts. However, despite Ethiopia's huge hydroelectric potential, the exploitation rate is only about 3 percent, he said. Tegenu encouraged Chinese firms, including Sinohydro Corp., to develop the country's rich hydroelectric resources.

Sinohydro is already involved in one project at northern Ethiopia's Tekeze hydroelectric station, and it has been progressing and is expected to be complete and in operation by August.

Guangtao said Sinohydro Corp. will maintain a strict quality control and complete building the Tekeze hydroelectric station on schedule. He said he believed the project will become an exemplary one in the electric power cooperation between the two countries.