Photo taken on April 2, 2018 shows a mega dam in Guba, Ethiopia. The 6,450 MW hydrodam named Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is the largest hydro project in Africa. GERD is currently at 65 percent completion and will require about five billion U.S. dollars to be complete. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia plans to reach 17,300 MW of energy by the end of 2020, from the current 4,280 MW of energy, an Ethiopian official said on Monday.

Speaking to Xinhua, Bizuneh Tolcha, Director of Public Relations and Communications Directorate at the Ethiopian Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy (MoWIE), said the government expects to reach the figure with generation of energy projects in hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass energy.

"The biggest project that's expected to fulfill the 17,300 MW target is the 6,450 MW hydro project being constructed on Blue Nile river at a cost of around 4.7 billion U.S. dollars and currently 65 percent complete," he said.

Tolcha added other projects expected to be completed before the 2020 deadline, are the 254 MW Genale Dawa I hydro project and the 120 MW Aysha Wind farm project.

Ethiopia also expects to generate energy from the under-construction 50 MW Reppie waste-to-energy project and the 70 MW Aluto Langano geothermal energy project.

The Ethiopian government has embarked on massive energy projects across the country with a view to succeeding in its plans to make the East African country a light industry hub in Africa and a middle-income economy by 2025.