Ethiopia Electric Utility Steps Up Grid Maintenance Ahead of Rainy Season to Curb Power Cuts

June 12, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

The Ethiopian Electric Utility has said it is carrying out extensive maintenance and rehabilitation works on the power distribution network ahead of the upcoming rainy season, in an effort to reduce the frequency of electricity interruptions and stabilise supply across the country.

The utility said the works range from line rehabilitation to system replacement, as part of a broader effort to prevent the recurrence of widespread outages experienced in recent months. It acknowledged that power interruptions occurred in May, while stating that corrective measures are underway to improve system reliability during the rainy period.

The agency said projects linked to recurring power disruptions are expected to be completed by July 7, 2025 (Sene 30, 2017 E.C), with the aim of ensuring comparatively improved electricity supply during the rainy season.

It also noted mixed performance in service reliability indicators. In September 2025, customers experienced an average of 15.6 hours of power interruption per month, which improved to 11 hours in February 2026. However, interruptions rose again in May, signalling renewed pressure on the system.

Infrastructure Management Chief Executive Dr. Gebeyehu Likassa said the utility has been implementing preventive maintenance works to avoid large-scale outages during the rainy season. He noted that while disruptions may occur during repair works due to interconnected transmission lines, the interventions are necessary to reduce long-term instability.

He added that more than 1,750 kilometres of medium-voltage lines in Addis Ababa and over 62,274 kilometres nationwide have undergone inspection and maintenance. This forms part of a total network exceeding 180,000 kilometres across the country.

In addition, inspections were carried out on 67,131 transformers as part of the preventive programme.

The utility reported a decline in outage duration compared with the previous year, saying average interruption time fell from 24.9 hours in May 2024 (2017 E.C) to 14.6 hours in May 2025 (2018 E.C). It noted, however, that the most recent month-on-month comparison showed an increase from February levels.

Ongoing maintenance activities include clearing trees near power lines, replacing ageing poles, adjusting hazardous line configurations, and replacing faulty insulators. The utility said these measures are intended to reduce weather-related and technical disruptions during the rainy season.

It identified ageing distribution infrastructure, high costs and long timelines for rehabilitation, the scale of ongoing upgrade projects, and theft of electrical equipment as key factors contributing to recurring outages across the network.