Kenyan Geothermal power plant project reaches completion

The Menengai Geothermal Power plant in Kenya, a US$500m project currently under construction, is anticipated to be completed by July this year says the AfricanDevelopment Bank (AfDB) Group.

AfDB’s Environment and Climate Manager Kurt Lonsway said the project is expected to cover the needs of over 500,000 Kenyan households, 300,000 small businesses and provide power for other businesses and industries.

“The mega project within the Eastern Sector of the African Rift Valley about 180 km North West of Nairobi has a potential of producing up to 1600MW,” Mr. Lonsway said during the AfDB Annual Meetings on Climate Change and Energy being held in Zambia.

He said AfDB will assist in developing the steam field for generation capacity of up to 400MW in the first phase and that the development will allow a substantial increase in the provision of clean, reliable and affordable electricity to Kenyan citizens.

During the AfDB Annual Meeting, Kenya was highly commended as one of the few countries working hard to ensure renewable energy is applicable in its system. Kenya is among six countries in the whole of Africa that have commenced major initiatives to utilise solar and geothermal power, which as a result has led to over 10 GW of capacity contracted.