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Electricity, Ethiopiaa, whose population is expected to swell from 75 million to more than 100 million by 2015, plans to light up the entire country in the next eight years, the head of the Electric Power Corporation (EEPCO) said on Wednesday.

Across Africa costly blackouts, strained power supplies and patchy electrification frequently plunge the world's poorest continent into darkness, stifling much-needed development.

EEPCO General Manager Mihert Debebe said a combination of hydro, geothermal and wind power generation projects, plus distribution and transmission programmes would help Ethiopia achieve its ambitious goal.

The Horn of Africa country produces 800 MW of electricity from hydropower dams, reaching 19 percent of the 75 million population.

"By 2010, the country will be able to generate over 4,000 MW of power and install 135,000 km of distribution lines as well as 12,000 km of high voltage networks to electrify 6,000 towns and villages providing access to electric power to over 50 percent of the country's population," Mihert told reporters.

The construction of five hydropower dams, including Tekeze with a capacity of 300 MW, Gellgele Gibe 2 with a capacity of 420 MW and Belesse with a capacity of 435 MW was expected to be completed by 2010, Mihert said.

"The construction of geothermal and wind power generation in addition to hydropower dams during the next eight years will help achieve total electrification of the country by 2015," he added.

The cost of building the dams, which runs into billions of dollars, would be met by the state, the World Bank and loans from international financial institutions, Mihert said without giving any further details.