Reykjavik Geothermal recently announced that drilling for the Corbetti and Tulu Moye geothermal projects will begin by September 2019. The two projects will produce 1,000 MW at an investment of $4.4 billion.
New developments in the geothermal energy sector in Ethiopia. Drilling will begin in September 2019 for the Corbetti and Tulu Moye geothermal projects in the Ethiopian Rift Valley. Each well will have a 500 MW capacity. These two geothermal projects are being developed by a consortium composed of Africa Renewable Energy Fund, Iceland Drilling, Meridiam SAS and Reykjavik Geothermal.
The projects will be carried out in several phases with capacities ranging from 50 to 65 MW. “All the results of the surface exploration work indicate that we are developing projects in a huge caldera (the heart of a volcano, editor’s note), huge active volcanoes that can produce 1000 MW or more,” explained Gunnar Orn Gunnarsson, Operations Manager at Reykjavik Geothermal.
The first phase of Tulu Moye
As for the Tulu Moye geothermal project, the first phase will produce 50 MW. This will include a 10-hole drilling of a dozen production wells, as well as two injection wells. The first phase of the project also consists of the installation of a steam collection and injection system, followed by a water-cooled condensing steam plant. Finally, it is planned to build a switchyard and a 230 kV transmission line to connect the plant to the grid from Koka-Wakena substation, some 30 km from Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
Until recently, Tulu Moye Geothermal Operations, the ad hoc company created to manage this project, issued a call for tenders for the construction of the future geothermal power plant. In addition to the EPC engineering, procurement and construction contract, the selected company should have the opportunity to negotiate a contract for the maintenance and operation of the future 50 MW plant. The Icelandic companies Mannvit Consulting Engineers and Verkís Consulting Engineers work in the project as consulting companies.
The construction of the first phase of the Tulu Moye geothermal power plant will require an investment of $260 million. It will be financed by all the members of the consortium.
Jean Marie Takouleu
