GDA Completes First Stage of Rehabilitation of Aluto Langano Geothermal Power Plant in Ethiopia
Geothermal Development Associates (GDA), working closely with the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO), succeeded in repairing and restarting the Geothermal Combined Cycle Unit (GCCU) at the Aluto Langano geothermal plant and wellfield on the 9th of June 2007.
The year-long rehabilitation effort involved extensive assessment, repair and testing of both the plant and wellfield. In addition, GDA provided EEPCO personnel with training in plant and wellfield operations.
The plant, which is located in south central Ethiopia, was installed and commissioned in 1998 and was designed to generate 8.5 MW. It operated for approximately one year before experiencing both resource and plant problems that required its partial shutdown in 2000 and complete shutdown in 2002. GDA and EEPCO are completing the repairs needed at the plant and wellfield so that it may become fully operational as soon as possible.
The Aluto Langano plant is the first and only geothermal power plant in Ethiopia and the only operating geothermal power plant in Africa outside of Kenya.