Allures and Threats of Sustainable Energy Provision and Adverse Hydrological Impacts on Sudan Escalating from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

Abstract

The Ethiopian government started the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia in 2011. GERD is said to be able to produce 5,150 Megawatts of electricity, with a water storage reservoir capacity of 74 Billion cubic meters (BCM). The Blue Nile River, which originates from Ethiopia, contributes most of the river Nile's water. It is, therefore, the crucial resource for water, energy, and food security to Sudan as well as Egypt. Whereas few studies have pointed out to the detrimental consequences emanating from GERD, with such large water storage capacity, on Egypt, studies highlighting the possible impacts of GERD on Sudan are lacking. This paper looks into the benefits that Sudan can garner from the GERD on the Blue Nile, in terms of renewable energy provision as well as the adverse hydrological impacts due to the change of water flow patterns in the Blue Nile. The risk management processes of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) are employed to maximize Sudan's benefits from GERD, while mitigating the threats due to it. The paper concludes that the benefits of GERD to Sudan and the underlying threats are somewhat not distant apart qualitatively.