The Hawassa No. 1 electric power substation, operating at 132 kilovolts, currently supplies about 90 percent of Hawassa city’s electricity demand, according to the substation’s manager, Ato Takele Teferi.

Ato Takele stated that since the substation began operations in 1987, it had been the sole provider of electricity to Hawassa city and its surrounding areas until Hawassa No. 2 Substation started operations in 2018.

Following the commissioning of the second substation, some customers – including industrial facilities – were transferred to Hawassa No. 2. This shift significantly reduced the operational load previously carried by Hawassa No. 1 Substation.

Currently, in addition to covering 90 percent of Hawassa city’s electricity supply, the substation also provides power to nearby areas including Wondo Genet, Boricha, Yirba, Arbegona, and other surrounding localities, thereby making an important contribution to the region’s development.

According to Ato Takele, the substation has played a crucial role in supporting urban expansion, investment growth, and job creation in Hawassa and nearby towns. Overall, it has laid the foundation for increased social and economic activities in the area.

Although the substation has made significant contributions over the past 38 years in meeting the region’s electricity demand, its load capacity has now reached 99 percent, meaning it can no longer accommodate additional customers.

To effectively respond to growing electricity demand, Ato Takele emphasized the need for capacity expansion.

He also noted that several control breakers (switchgear) and various switchyard equipment, which have been in service for many years, need to be upgraded to modern technologies.

Hawassa No. 1 Substation is equipped with three transformers, each with a capacity of 66 Mega Volt-Amperes (MVA). The station has one incoming line from Hawassa No. 2 Substation, eight 15 kV outgoing lines, and three 33 kV outgoing lines.