Kenya: US $97m complex set to be largest commercial electricity consumer

A US$ 97m complex being constructed by a Chinese State-owned manufacturing and real estate firm AVIC International is set to be Kenya’s largest commercial consumer of electricity.

The 43-storey complex in Nairobi’s Westlands area will overtake Two Rivers Mall as Kenya’s current largest commercial consumer of electricity. It will use more power than the combined demand for Two Rivers and Garden City malls in Nairobi.

AVIC confirmed the news and indicated to Kenya Power a demand of 12 megavolt ampere (MVA), a downward revision from the initial 16 MVA it had earlier estimated; Kenya’s largest single demand outside factories.

According to Kenya Power records, at 12 MVA, the demand is twice Two Rivers mall’s and four times that of Garden City mall.

The AVIC mega-complex in Westlands sits next to Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel and will comprise an office block, a hotel tower and four apartment blocks, offering a glimpse into its expected power needs.

The AVIC International Africa Headquarters is a development being built in Nairobi’s Westlands district. The complex will be the hub of AVIC International’s African operations and the tallest tower in the scheme will stand at 178m.