Addis Ababa, May 4, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU), the state-owned electricity distributor, has reported continued progress in expanding electricity access to rural towns and villages across Ethiopia through both grid and off-grid solutions.
EEU Chief Executive Officer Engineer Getu Geremew told Fana Digital that 103 rural towns and villages have been connected to electricity during the first nine months of the 2018 Ethiopian fiscal year (2025/26), as part of ongoing efforts to ensure equitable access to power.
According to him, the expansion includes both national grid connections and alternative energy solutions. Of the newly connected towns and villages, 82 were linked to the main electricity grid, while 21 were supplied through solar-based off-grid systems targeting remote communities.
He further stated that more than 31,000 households, alongside health and social institutions in these areas, have gained access to electricity services as a result of the expansion.
Beyond geographical expansion, EEU also reported a significant increase in new customer connections. A total of 423,200 new customers were added during the reporting period, representing an 18.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Out of the newly connected customers, 31,298 are from rural towns and villages that recently gained electricity access.
The utility noted that 74.2 percent of new customers were connected through postpaid meters, while 25.8 percent were using prepaid metering systems.
With the latest additions, the total number of electricity customers across the country has reached 5.64 million, EEU said.
Reporting by Melaku Gedif
Editing by Mesafint Brlie