Green Energy: KenGen To Inject 86MW From Olkaria Plant To National Grid

NAKURU, Kenya, Feb, 12 – The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is set to inject 86MegaWatts into the national grid starting March after successfully commissioning works at the Olkaria 1 (Unit 6) power plant in Naivasha, Nakuru county.

The project is almost done with the government terming it as a huge boost to power production in the country.

The efforts are part of government plans revealed by president Uhuru Kenyatta last year that the cost of electricity in the country would be reduced in two tranches of 15 per cent. The first phase has already been implemented.

“We expect the Olkaria 1, unit 6 power plant which has a capacity of 86mw to be commissioned in the next couple of months,” said Peketsa Mangi, Kengen acting geothermal development director.

According to Mangi, once the 86MW plant is commissioned,the total of geothermal power installed in the country would be 790MW.

Plans are already underway to tap another 25MW from Eburru area in Gilgil amidst ongoing feasibility studies.

“Currently we have a 2.4mw well-head-generator in Eburu but we want to upgrade it and explore more power as the area is rich in geothermal energy,” he said.

The mega 280MW power plant in Olkaria is the largest in the continent.