[Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 25, 2025] Ethiopia's leading operator, Ethio Telecom, in collaboration with Huawei, has announced the successful commercial deployment and stable operation of the first batch of Solar-on-Tower solution in Africa.
Are solar PV Grid-connected power plants possible in Ethiopia?
As far as the author knowledge is concerned, only a recent state-sponsored pre-feasibility study on solar energy potential of Ethiopia suggested four sites for solar PV grid-connected power plants .
In the next section, brief overview of previous studies and historical background of PV systems in Ethiopia is included. The first standalone solar PV system in Ethiopia was introduced in the mid of 1980s to a remote village located in the central part of the country .
How much does a solar PV system cost in Ethiopia?
Another recent study in Nigeria analyzed the technical and economic performance of an 80 kW solar PV grid connected system (contributing 40.4%) in combination with a 100 kW power from the grid and showed that the LCOE was about $0.103/kWh . Looking at such cases, the proposed system cost in Ethiopia falls within the range of LCOE in the region.
Ethiopia's state-owned electric power company is planning to develop a 100 MW Solar PV power plant near the town of Metahara, 200 km east of the capital Addis Ababa. The project is supported by Power Africa, a U.S. Government-led partnership to promote new generation and increase access to electricity in Africa.
Is there a private investment in solar power plants in Ethiopia?
However, there was no private investment in solar power plants in Ethiopia. Mainly the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has been a state-owned and vertically integrated monopoly that controls the market from generation to selling of electricity throughout the country .
Among these, solar energy emerges as a beacon of hope, poised to transform Ethiopia's energy landscape and drive socioeconomic development. Significantly, the country has relied heavily on hydropower, which accounts for more than 90% of its electricity generation.