As the wind blows over the Blue Nile River in the East African Plateau, a game of light is quietly unfolding in Ethiopia. From mobile substations to battery energy storage, from World Bank funded grid modernization to off grid power supply for communication base stations, multiple forces are reshaping the power landscape of this land.

COP32 will be held in Addis Ababa in November 2027. The power industry focuses on the procurement pace of 18 grid projects of Ethiopian Electric Power Company (EEP). The project includes a mobile substation, transformer upgrade, wire replacement, and battery energy storage system. The procurement of mobile substations is nearing completion, and there are still opportunities to purchase other equipment.

Power grid bidding window period

The modernization procurement of the power grid funded by the World Bank PRIME-1 is also being promoted synchronously, and the bidding information is publicly available for inspection. The Addis Ababa power supply reinforcement project is divided into two sections, with higher technical indicators and difficult to win at a low price. The EPC bidding for two high-voltage transmission lines under PRIME-1 will be closed on November 10th and 26th, 2026 respectively, suitable for high-voltage equipment suppliers to follow up.

Energy storage demand highlights

The EEP energy storage parameters have not been announced yet. Ethiopia's electricity is highly dependent on hydropower, and drought has caused unstable output. Energy storage has shifted from optional to essential needs. Drought has significantly reduced mining load and power supply, forcing the implementation of energy storage and load management for 100MW level loads. Ethiopian Telecom has simultaneously released a request for energy storage solutions, seeking off grid power supply solutions for tens of thousands of communication base stations. The procurement entity is independent of EEP.

Seeking opportunities on multiple tracks

EEP is promoting the expansion of substations in industrial parks, driving demand for distribution equipment, and Dona has been included in the EPC general contracting. The charging network of Ethiopian Telecom continues to operate, and high-power charging equipment has formed another independent procurement channel. In addition, there are three EPC tenders for photovoltaic mini grids with clear rules and thresholds, which are suitable for exploring the off grid market. Keywords: Ethiopia, power grid, energy storage

Business opportunities are distributed among different owners, funding channels, and time points. The window period for mobile substations is coming to an end, and the PRIME-1 bidding and energy storage consultation at the end of the year are the core follow-up nodes. Chinese enterprises have already achieved success in local power transmission and transformation, and need to find the right entry method according to the bidding requirements, relying on the support of the general contractor to participate. At the same time as bidding, payment and exchange risks should be evaluated, and decisions should be made based on comprehensive technical matching, cooperation mode, and payment guarantee, not just the contract amount.Editor/Gong Ziwei