The House of Peoples’ Representatives hears the oral responses of the Minister of Mines and Energy in its 10th regular session held on 13th Dec. 2007.

The oral response to the questions raised by the House revolved around issues connected with electric power interruption, electric power expansion, service to customers and ethics as well as information access in the sector.

His Excellency Ato Alemayehu Tegenu Minister of Mines and Energy, told the House that the Country so far consumes only 814 Mega Watt although there is high potential of hydropower to generate electric power adding the gov’t has attached due attention to expand electric power across villages to address the demands of regional states indicated in their plans.

Minister explained that efforts will be maximized to distribute adequate electric service to villages as part of the five-year strategic plan of the government which also will look at including those not in the plan in Collaboration with regional states.

The demand for more electric power due to expansion of industries in towns, and the power interruption problems would be addressed when the ongoing power generation projects of Tana Beles, Gilgel Ghibe I and II and others go operational, he explained.

He also said that the government has allocated more than 1.2 billion birr for electric power expansion across villages of all woredas in the country and condemned the collection of money in the context of power installation in some areas is out of the knowledge of the corporation and his ministry.

He again ascertained that workers will be assigned in substation areas and localities to render adequate service so as to avoid inconveniences of consumers where there are no branch offices.

Meanwhile, the House during the session discussed and referred bill amending registration of political parties to the Legal and Administration Affairs Standing Committee with 294 votes for, two against and 51 abstention.

Moreover, the House referred a bill providing for the ratification of the Africa Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone Treaty to the Capacity Building Affairs Standing Committee as well as to the Foreign, Defense and Security and Legal and Administration Affairs Standing Committees for Further scrutiny.

The House also looked into and referred a draft proclamation to provide for the period of limitation for submission of restitution claimed and for the repossession of public property taken through unlawful restitution with a majority vote to the Legal and Administrative Affairs Standing committee for further scrutiny.