ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Saturday inaugurated the first phase of the Aysha II Wind Power Plant in Somali Regional State, stressing that clean energy development is central to the country's long-term economic transformation.

Speaking at the event, which was attended by Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Abiy said the Aysha II Wind Power Plant reflects Ethiopia's pursuit of self-reliance through effective utilization of local resources.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to the Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), Dongfang Electric Corporation, a Chinese company that undertook the project, and the people in the region for their contribution to the successful completion of the first phase of the project," said Abiy.

Noting that clean energy development in Ethiopia would foster regional integration and cross-border connectivity, Abiy said Ethiopia's strides toward growth and energy development cannot be guaranteed without cooperation with neighboring countries.

Launched in 2017, the Aysha II project will have a total installed capacity of 120 megawatts (MW), with 80 MW from its first phase already connected to the national grid, according to EEP Chief Executive Officer Ashebir Balcha.

"The Somali Region is rich in wind, solar and natural gas resources. The government will shortly launch two wind farm projects in nearby areas, with generating capacity of 300 MW and 350 MW of electricity, respectively," Balcha said.

Upon completion, the Aysha II Wind Power Plant will feature a total of 48 wind turbines, 32 of which are already operational, with each generating 2.5 MW of electricity.

Moges Mekonnen, communication director of the EEP, told Xinhua that Dongfang Electric Corporation has introduced new technologies and designs that have never been used in the first three wind farm projects in Ethiopia.

"Each windmill at the Aysha II wind power project has a generating capacity of 2.5 MW at maximum, which is at least one MW higher than the generating capacity of each windmill at other wind farms in the country," Mekonnen said. ■