Work

War-induced energy system collapse in Tigray: Quantifying infrastructure damage, economic losses, and environmental degradation in Tigray

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Armed conflicts increasingly target energy infrastructure, yet empirical evidence from African settings remains limited. The Tigray War (2020–2022) caused one of the most severe energysystem collapses in recent history, triggering a twoyear blackout and widespread socioeconomic disruption. This study quantifies the impacts using 1,699 fieldverified assetlevel observations from Ethiopian Electric Power and Ethiopian Electric Utility, supported by secondary data on electricity sales, project delays, and landuse change. The analysis integrates engineeringbased damage assessment, economic loss estimation, and independently validated environmental indicators, an approach not previously applied in African conflict research. Results show US$51.4 million in physical destruction, US$587.9 million in economic losses, 140.8 km of damaged 230 kV lines, 38 collapsed towers, 237 destroyed transformers, and approximately 930 km² of vegetation loss linked to a 628.7% rise in fuelwood extraction. These findings highlight the need for resilient grid reconstruction, decentralized renewables, and integrated environmental restoration in postconflict recovery.

Source: Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development

DOI: 10.24294/jipd11896

Authors: Solomon Teklemichael Bahta, Mulualem G. Gebreslassie, Amanuel Amare Gebrekidan, Petros Gebray Enday

Institutions: Mekelle University, Sheffield Hallam University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Climate action, Affordable and clean energy, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7160774592