Melaku Mekuria
NOAH Director, Geotechnical Engineering, Dam Safety, and Instrumentation
Melaku Mekuria is an engineering geologist and dam safety specialist with more than thirteen years of experience supporting the design review, construction, instrumentation, foundation treatment, and quality assurance of major hydropower and water infrastructure projects. His expertise includes dam safety evaluations, geotechnical investigations, grouting engineering, dam instrumentation, excavation support, foundation treatment, and construction quality assurance.
At NOAH Global Solutions, Melaku leads geotechnical engineering, dam safety, and instrumentation initiatives, supporting dam assessments, rehabilitation planning, construction oversight, and risk management programs for critical water infrastructure.
His experience combines technical expertise with extensive field leadership on some of Africa’s largest hydropower developments.
Melaku currently serves as a Senior Grouting Engineer on the Koysha Hydroelectric Power Project, one of Africa’s largest hydropower developments. His responsibilities include geotechnical evaluations, supervision of dam grouting programs, quality assurance and quality control, foundation treatment, and management of dam instrumentation systems used to monitor structural performance and safety. His work includes oversight of piezometers, inclinometers, extensometers, and other monitoring systems critical to dam safety and long-term performance.
Prior to his current role, Melaku served as Geology and Geotechnical Section Team Leader for the Koysha Project, where he supervised excavation works, foundation treatment, grouting programs, and geotechnical quality assurance activities. He also played a key role in the construction of the Gibe III Hydroelectric Power Project, a landmark hydropower development that included a 246-meter-high roller-compacted concrete dam, extensive underground works, and major power generation infrastructure. His responsibilities included geological and geotechnical investigations, dam instrumentation, foundation treatment, excavation support, and construction oversight.
Melaku holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Addis Ababa University and has received specialized training in geotechnical engineering applications, GIS, engineering software, and construction quality control.
With photo: Melaku is standing at the top of the Koysha Hydroelectric Project, located in the southwestern region of Ethiopia. It is important initiative that will enhance the country’s renewable energy landscape significantly. Once completed, the plant is expected to have a generation capacity of 1,800 MW. The project is currently under construction along the Omo River and is nearing the embankment stage.