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21 years of Civil war in South Sudan has crippled a lot of development projects in the region. Southern Sudan still lacks good infrastructure to enable it to cope with the modern world and lacks comforts of life, even after signing Comprehensive Peace Agreement on 9th of Jan 2005 that put an end to that war.
No doubt electricity is one of the necessities of modern society. However South Sudan suffers from the shortage of this important source of life.
Sudan's Dam Implementation Unit (DIU) finalized plans to construct dams in South Sudan for balancing the equation of establishing dams between South and North, that has four dams and one of the largest dams in Africa is under constructions. This may make unity between North and South more attractive.
The contract of dams' project will be signed today in the presence of Sudan's president, Omer Al Bashir, in a big ceremony as a mark to end an era of darkness in the South.
The dams' project comprises of seven dams - three big and four small.
The big ones are:
1-Alfula, 34 KM north of Nimuli Central Equatoria to produce 720 MW.
2-Shukuli 24 KM north of Alfulla, Central Equatoria to produce 210 MW
3-Laki 70 KM south of Juba to produce 210 MW
The small dams are:
1-Juba Baraj in Juba with a capacity to produce 90 MW.
2-Siwa east of Wau,Bahar AlGazal with a capacity to produce 12 MW
3-Kriti south east of Torit, Eastern Equatoria , with a capacity to produce 4 MW.
There is also Maridi water project, 33 KM west of Juba, Western Equatoria state for providing clean drinking water with a capacity of 3000 cubic meters
Difficulies and challenges:
Since South has emerged from war, the problem of mines is a concern for officials in the dams constructing areas. Also, there are fears of some insecurity in the areas.
Finance & support:
The finance and funding is provided by some Arab countries and china.
After signing the contracts the projects will enter the first stage which will last for more than 15 months.
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