The Grid Code, comprised of a document or a set of documents, specifies the rules and responsibilities for all entities related to electrical power system planning and operations. Its purpose is to legally establish technical and other requirements for the connection to and use of an electrical power system by parties in a manner that will ensure reliable, efficient, and safe operation.

Ethiopia has, for the first time in its history, opened up its electricity generation and distribution sector to private investors. Privately owned power companies can now invest in the electric power industry and compete with the state owned utility. The Ethiopian power system, however, lacks a formal Grid Code document that will ensure reliability, safety, and security of the electric power system operation. This Preamble provides the rationale for the development of an Ethiopia National Transmission Grid Code (ENTGC) with a summary of provisions. The ENTGC has gone through a rigorous approval process as required by the appropriate local authorities.

The objective of the ENTGC is to improve the ability to plan and operate Ethiopia’s power system safely, reliably, efficiently, and economically, in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, while multiple independent parties use the power system. The independent parties must operate within a framework of rules and regulations, and coordinate with each other and the operators of the electric system, and the ENTGC will provide this. The ENTGC is intended to establish the reciprocal obligations of Users of the Ethiopia National Transmission System (ENTS) and operation of the East African Power Pool.

The ENTGC is based partially on the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and East African Community Interconnection Code (EAPP IC). Furthermore, the EAPP IC imposes certain minimum requirements on the Member Countries of the EAPP. Thus, the EAPP IC plays an important role in the development of the ENTGC. This ENTGC follows to the extent possible the organisation and formatting of the EAPP IC.

Other national grid codes were considered and reviewed in addition to the EAPP IC, including the South African Grid Code (2012), the South African Grid Connection Code for Renewable Power Plants (2012), the Namibian Grid Code (2005), the Indian Electricity Grid Code (2010), the Zambian Grid Code (2006), and the Rwanda Grid Code (2012), the Ethiopian Energy Agency (EEA)’s Draft Interface Codes for Generation/Interconnection/ Distribution, and the Kenyan Grid Code recently developed and finalized by Nexant (2015).

In addition, The Final Interim Report Module 1B for “EAPP/EAC Regional Power System Master Plan (PSMP) & Grid Code Study” (2010) was also reviewed for relevant information.