Kenya set to construct 40MW solar plant in Eldoret

The government of Kenya though the Kenya-based French solar firm Alten Africa, has picked compatriot renewable energy firm Voltalia to construct 40MW solar power plant in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county that will account for 2% of the country’s total capacity.

According to a report made by the solar firm, electricity distributor Kenya Power were already informed of the choice of the French Voltalia to carry out the construction and operation and maintenance service on the plant.

“Alten Africa ratifies the choice of Voltalia to execute the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and operations, and plant maintenance (O & M) service for its new photovoltaic plant in Kenya,” said Alten.

The solar project will sit on a 100 hectares of land will have over 161,000 monocrystalline panels set into solar single-axis trackers. Upon completion scheduled for March 2020, approximately 123.6GWh of clean electricity will be injected every year into the electric network, enough to meet the annual energy consumption needs of over 824,000 Kenyans.

“The new photovoltaic plant will produce an estimated total of 123.6 GWh / year. It will be Alten Africa’s first utility scale project in Kenya and one of the largest solar power stations in East Africa,” said Alten.

Kenya targets a universal access to electricity by 2020 to increase from 70%. Earlier in May 2018 inked a power purchase deal with Kenya Power for another 50MW solar project located in Kopere, Nandi County.

Additionally, the Kesses power plant project will add to the many electricity projects that have been started or are planned as the country races to raise output to 5,000MW and cut the cost of electricity to consumers by half.