Profs. Whittington and Jeuland have completed an economic analysis of possible dams in the Blue Nile gorge, for the World Bank. The report, entitled Eastern Nile Strategic Economic Assessment: A Scoping-level Economic Analysis of Multipurpose Dams in the Blue Nile Gorge, examines the economic benefits of the Renaissance Dam, as well as other dam options, to Ethiopia and the downstream riparians (Egypt and Sudan).
Primary data collection activities were conducted in Sudan to estimate the downstream impacts. When completed, the Renaissance Dam will be 145 meters high, about one third taller than the Aswan High Dam. It will have slightly less than half of the gross storage of Aswan High Dam Reservoir, more than the annual flow at the site. After filling, the Renaissance Dam will generate about 50 percent more hydropower annually than the Aswan High Dam power station. The report explores some of the likely implications for basin-wide cooperation of Ethiopia’s decision to build the Renaissance Dam.
EfD Associates Dale Whittington (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and Marc Jeuland (Duke) also have a paper forthcoming in World Development, entitled “Setting Priorities, Targeting Subsidies among Water, Sanitation, and Preventative Health Interventions in Developing Countries.”