News Operational hurdles at Reppi Waste-to-Energy plant cost City Admin
March 8, 2025
EEP demands 240mln birr in compensation for power quota shortfalls
Addis Ababa’s Reppi Waste-to-Energy plant is operating at half capacity, putting the City Administration on the hook for more than 240 million birr in annual compensation payments to the state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP).
The plant, located in the southeastern fringes of the capital, opened in September 2018 and was supposed to generate power by incinerating 1,400 tons of solid waste each day. However, it is currently operating at 50 percent capacity, according to officials.
Reppi was the central topic of a press conference on March 6, 2025, which included participants from the capital’s Fire and Disaster Risk Management Commission, Addis Ababa City Cleansing Management Agency, and other bureaus.
Eshetu Lemma (PhD), head of the Cleansing Management Agency, stated that the plant is handling the disposal of solid waste from several hospitals and health centers, but has been unable to meet its full operating capacity.
He cited faulty machinery, a lack of spare parts, and issues with maintenance as the primary reasons behind the underperformance.
Eshetu also revealed that EEP has filed official complaints with the City Administration, claiming that Reppi’s inability to meet its power generation quota is resulting in losses for the state owned power generation company.
The City Administration is forced to pay close to a quarter-billion birr each year for the shortcomings, according to Eshetu.
The quality of waste at the plant has also affected its power output, according to city officials.
Eshetu told the media that the diversion of solid waste from health institutions has prompted discussions with the Ministry of Health and the Addis Ababa Drug, Food and Medicine Control Authority, which are ongoing.
Reppi has faced serious setbacks in power generation following a steam turbine and generator failure that took place in January 2022.
The plant, which lies on 37 hectares in what used to be an open dumpsite for millions of tons of solid waste from around the sprawling capital, was inaugurated in 2018, a year after an avalanche of garbage took the lives of more than 100 people.