KHARTOUM, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Thursday launched an electricity project of Upper Atbara and Setait Dams in eastern Sudan as one of the biggest projects to increase the country's power generation.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday inaugurated the first turbine of the dams with a generating capacity of 80 megawatts. The inaugurated turbine is one of the four that are gradually to enter the national electricity network in Sudan.
Al-Bashir, addressing a people's gathering at the site of the project, vowed to complete the development projects in eastern Sudan, establish roads and provide basic services.
The total capacity of the two dams' electricity project is expected to reach 320 megawatts. The project is set to complete next March.
The dam complex is composed of two dams and one lake. The total area amounts to 297 square km, with a capacity of 3.7 billion cubic meters.
Implementation of the project started in May 15, 2010, where Arab funds have provided the necessary finance, while the German Company Lahmeyer International supervised the project.
The civil contracting works and transport lines were carried out by Chinese companies.
The country suffers from shortage in electricity generation, particularly during summer season. The present produced electricity in Sudan does not exceed 3,000 megawatts.
Sudan is planning to add 4,055 megawatts of electricity by 2020.
