By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
New York, 23 September 2026 Ethiopia plans to increase its electricity-generation capacity to as much as 14,000 megawatts by 2030, using clean energy to expand industrial production, support economic growth and create jobs.
Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie outlined the plan during the “Delivering Electrify Now” High-Level Leaders Dialogue, held as part of the Global Renewables Summit in New York.
President Taye said the global energy agenda must move beyond focusing solely on generating electricity and instead prioritize the construction of transmission and distribution networks, energy-storage facilities and other essential infrastructure.
“Generation without grids, storage and robust utility capacity cannot drive economic transformation,” he said.
He called for international financing to support the entire electricity value chain — from generation and transmission to distribution, storage and last-mile connections.
More than 95 percent of Ethiopia’s installed electricity-generation capacity currently comes from renewable sources. The government views the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or GERD, and other renewable-energy investments as foundations for expanding electricity access and accelerating the country’s industrialization.
Ethiopia’s 2030 plan has three main priorities. The first is to expand and diversify renewable-energy generation, with non-hydropower sources expected to account for at least 15 percent of total installed capacity.
Related articles
The second priority is to use affordable, clean electricity to strengthen industrial productivity, particularly in the country’s industrial parks.
The third is to implement macroeconomic and energy-sector reforms to attract private investment and increase private-sector participation in electricity transmission and distribution.
President Taye said financing represents the critical link between Ethiopia’s energy resources and tangible development. He called for the preparation of bankable projects, with particular attention to transmission lines, substations, energy storage and connections for homes and businesses.
He urged the World Bank, African Development Bank and European Union to support the modernization of Ethiopia’s electricity infrastructure.
The President also warned that the global energy transition would not achieve its full potential if renewable-energy investment remained concentrated in wealthy countries.
Ethiopia, which is preparing to host COP32 in Addis Ababa in 2027, said it would work to ensure that global climate and clean-energy commitments are transformed into practical projects across Africa.