Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced on Wednesday that a major power outage has impacted towns in eastern Ethiopia, the Ethio-Djibouti railway, and parts of Djibouti. The outage was triggered by the theft of a power transmission tower along the 230-kilovolt Kokaa-Hurso power transmission line.
The affected area includes Benti Village in the Awash Fentale district of the Afar Region, near a location known as Awash Park. According to a statement by Alemayehu Zeberga, Director of the Operations and Maintenance Directorate for the central regions, the theft caused significant damage to the power infrastructure, severely affecting the power supply to both eastern Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Alemayehu confirmed that in addition to the stolen tower, seven more transmission towers are at risk. He stated, “A team of technical specialists has been sent to the site to assess the damage and begin repairs,” while also warning that the restoration process could take over 20 days due to the extensive damage. Until full restoration is complete, EEP is working on alternative power sources to minimize the disruption. “We are doing our best to explore alternative options for power supply to the affected areas,” Alemayehu said, urging the public to remain patient during this challenging period.
Prior to this incident, nine power transmission poles along the 132-kilovolt railway line between Metehara and Awash had sustained similar damage, highlighting a growing concern over theft targeting critical electrical infrastructure in the region. Alemayehu voiced alarm at the rising number of such incidents, particularly in the Awash Fentale district, and emphasized the need for heightened security to protect these essential facilities.
The theft not only disrupted power in Ethiopia but also affected Djibouti, demonstrating the far-reaching consequences of damage to regional infrastructure. It is expected that the repairs will take several weeks, and efforts are underway to restore power to the impacted areas as soon as possible.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities of power infrastructure and the ongoing challenges posed by theft in critical regions, raising concerns over future energy security in the area.
