The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam – popularly referred to as GERD – has had its main dam filled with concrete; all 9 million cubic meters of it.
Engineer Semegew Bekele, the project manager for GERD, recently gave a media briefing when journalist went to visit the dam. Bekele said 10.1 million cubic meter of concrete is needed to reach the entire length of the dam. The dams stands 145 meters above the sea level and stretches over 1,780 meters.
Bekele also reassured the journalist that both hydroelectrical mechanical and civil works for the two power generator stations beneath the dam is also underway. They are also in high gears to construct emergency control doors that will let out sudden and high-volume water outflows when there is need.
For the Sadel Dam, they have already done 11.3 million cubic stone filling, of the 1.5 million cubic meter stone that is needed to fill the entire 5.2 kilometers length and 50 meters with. Bekele said the project has also downsized the number of laborers from the previous 13 thousand to now 9 thousand. He said the reduction was prompted by the fact that as the dam is finished towards the edges, the width gets smaller and so does the need for machinery and manpower.
The total completion level of the GERD project can be said to be at 63%.
