"Congratulations to All #Ethiopians & Friends. Efforts of over a decade in building #GERD started delivering result. The 1st turbine with generating capacity of 375MW inaugurated today by HE PM Dr Abiy Ahmed," Bekele wrote on Twitter.
The official added that once completed, the dam would become the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa with a total generation capacity of 5,150 MW and annual energy of 15.76 TWH.
In early January, Ethiopian Ambassador to Russia Alemayehu Tegenu said that the construction of the dam had already been completed by 83% and the second stage of filling of the reservoir had come to an end. According to the ambassador, the third stage will begin this summer.
Ethiopia has been implementing the large-scale Nile dam project since 2011. Neighbouring Sudan and Egypt have been opposing the project fearing it will infringe on their own water security. Years-long negotiations reached an impasse limit in the summer of 2020 when Ethiopia began unilaterally filling the dam.