Ethiopia reports progress on Aluto-Langano geothermal project

Drilling rig on site at Aluto-Langano, Ethiopia (source: EEP)

State-owned Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP) reports progress made on drilling and well testing on the Aluto-Langano geothermal project. Five of eight planned wells have currently already been drilled and production testing on three of these wells have been completed. We reported on the start of production testing at Aluto-Langano earlier this year.

Based on the production tests that have already been completed, a single well has a capacity to produce up to 8 MW. “Usually thermals with up to 3,000 meter depth are expected to generate up to three MW but in this case the capacity is very high that shows that the drilling locations are proper areas,” commented EEP Public Relations Head Moges Mekonnen.

The target capacity for the Aluto-Langano geothermal project is 70 MW. There is currently a 7.5-MW production unit that was installed in the site three decades ago.

Wells in the Aluto-Langano project were drilled to depths between 2500 to 3000 meters. KenGen has provided drilling services for the project as part of the company’s revenue diversification efforts. We reported on KenGen drilling the fifth well in the project earlier this year.

Source: Capital Ethiopia