Ethiopia Insight reports that a Kenyan green group seeks ban on Ethiopian power

A Kenyan conservation group has appealed to the nation’s high court to prevent the government and an energy company from buying power produced by the vast Gibe 111 hydropower dam in neighboring Ethiopia.

The impact of the dam is in question. This is a familiar tune. The conservation groups in this scenario represent risk managers who are concerned that the dam will affect 500K people and their ability to live without aid.

A typical way to avoid this situation is for security and risk assessments to be done up front and with the support of risk managers. That does not seem to have been done here; risk assessments left until the project is underway are likely to bring significant new costs/impact into focus. At least concerns have been raised now instead of 2013, the expected completion date.