Kenya is set to add 79MW of of power to the national grid following the completion of Unit 1 of Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant.
The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) announced the reports and said the additional capacity would play a significant role in supporting Kenya’s power needs while enhancing the amount of green energy in the national grid.
“We are delighted to announce the completion of the first unit of Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant and subsequently injecting 79 MW to the national grid. This brings to 612MW the total amount of installed geothermal power capacity by KenGen and will be significant in ensuring that our country’s power needs are met through the continuous use of green energy solutions,” said KenGen Managing Director and CEO Rebecca Miano. Olkaria V Geothermal Plant
The Unit was first synchronized to the grid on June 28, and thereafter subjected to commissioning tests and attained its full design output of 82.7MW. Currently in its last stages of development, Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant is expected to inject a total of 158 MW to the grid once Unit 2 is synchronized to the grid at the end of August.
The power plant is part of KenGen’s green energy development agenda aimed at delivering 721MW of renewable energy by year 2020, at an investment close to about US $1.3bn. The project is funded by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and the Government of Kenya.
About 80% of Kenya’s installed capacity is from renewable sources; which is more than three times the global average. Over the years, KenGen has developed a rich energy mix comprising hydro (819.9MW), geothermal (612 MW), thermal (253.5MW) and wind (25.5MW) with the focus being on renewable energy sources. The Nairobi Securities Exchange(NSE) listed power generator is also developing an additional unit(Unit 6) at Olkaria 1.
“Consistent with our long-term plan, we are continuously working on increasing our renewable energy to provide affordable energy to Kenyans while safeguarding the environment. This, in turn, will lead to the provision of stable energy to power households and industries across the country,” said CEO Rebecca.
