AMACO-HERCULES advances Mombasa power plans with GE Vernova cooperation

Last Updated 3 hours ago by Kenya Engineer

AMACO Energy Group is advancing plans for an integrated power and digital infrastructure platform in Kenya, with a new cooperation agreement with GE Vernova set to support the development of its proposed HERCULES™ power barge facility.

Announced on 9 September 2026, the cooperation will see GE Vernova gas turbines integrated into the HERCULES™ platform, with the possibility of incorporating additional electrification and digital technologies as the project develops.

The announcement gives further shape to AMACO’s plans to combine power generation, industrial electrification and digital infrastructure around the growing requirements of Kenya’s industrial and AI-driven economy.

A power platform for industry and digital infrastructure

AMACO describes HERCULES™ as an integrated infrastructure platform designed to bring together scalable power generation, electrification and digital infrastructure.

The company is pursuing strategic cooperation with organisations involved in industrial parks, Special Economic Zones, ports and logistics, ICT and digital infrastructure, AI and data centres, banking, technology and government infrastructure.

For Mombasa, the proposed approach places power generation within a wider industrial ecosystem, rather than treating electricity supply and digital infrastructure as separate developments.
The proposed cooperation with GE Vernova is particularly relevant to that ambition. Gas turbines would form part of the generation system, while the wider platform would bring together the electrical, marine and digital infrastructure required to serve its intended customers.

The announcement does not specify the turbine models, number of units or final generation configuration. Those details will help define how the proposed facility is designed to support industrial and data-centre loads as the technical work progresses.

Mombasa’s industrial and digital opportunity

AMACO identifies the Dongo Kundu and Kilindini/Mombasa ecosystems as strategically important locations for the potential deployment of HERCULES™.

The company points to the proximity of the Port of Mombasa, industrial infrastructure and the Kenya Ports Authority ecosystem, alongside the ARISE Coast Integrated Industrial Park within the wider approximately 3,000-acre Dongo Kundu/Mombasa Special Economic Zone.

According to the announcement, the current industrial development pipeline indicates approximately 75 MW of potential base-load demand, primarily from heavy industry. A further 75–100 MW of potential demand could emerge from initial data-centre customers.

Together, this creates a potential market for up to 175 MW or more of electricity capacity, AMACO says, providing a basis for a diversified and progressively scalable energy platform.

The company is interested in engaging industrial, digital and infrastructure stakeholders on possible long-term Power Purchase Agreements to support industrial growth, digital infrastructure, AI data centres, port development and the expansion of the Special Economic Zone.

The potential demand also gives the project an important engineering dimension. The eventual generation configuration, electrical export system and operating arrangements will need to reflect the characteristics of the customers the platform is intended to serve.

The marine infrastructure component

The proposed HERCULES™ power barge remains closely linked to Mombasa’s marine and port infrastructure.

AMACO says the Dongo Kundu and Kilindini ecosystems offer protected marine access, strategic industrial land, port and logistics infrastructure, proximity to international submarine fibre connectivity and a Special Economic Zone framework.

The company also refers to initial information indicating water depths of approximately 15–20 metres around the new terminal area. Detailed bathymetric surveys, vessel restrictions, navigational requirements and the optimal location for a potential Floating Storage Unit will form part of the further technical assessment.

These considerations are central to the proposed marine power architecture. The final arrangement will need to bring together the generation equipment, fuel supply, marine access and electrical connection to shore in a way that supports reliable operation alongside the wider port and industrial environment.

Building power together with the data centre

A defining feature of HERCULES™ is its integrated approach to power, cooling and digital infrastructure.

AMACO says the platform is designed to coordinate these components rather than developing them independently. Its Group CEO, Dr Theodore E. Theodoropoulos, describes the approach as building the power together with the data centre, with power, cooling and AI compute developed as one coordinated infrastructure ecosystem.

That approach is particularly relevant as AI infrastructure becomes more energy-intensive. Data-centre development requires dependable electricity, but also the cooling systems, electrical distribution and operational resilience needed to support continuous computing loads.

The proposed integration therefore raises important design considerations around the relationship between generation capacity, cooling demand and the electrical requirements of high-density computing. These will be part of the technical work required to establish the most suitable configuration for the intended customers.

Mombasa’s connectivity advantage

The company also places emphasis on Mombasa’s position as a gateway to the digital economy.

The press release points to submarine fibre-optic networks, deep-water port infrastructure and the Dongo Kundu development ecosystem as factors supporting the evaluation of large-scale industrial, energy and digital infrastructure projects.

AMACO says this combination could strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional hub for next-generation infrastructure serving East Africa and international markets.

The connectivity component is an important part of the wider infrastructure proposition. For a data-centre platform, the relationship between power availability, network connectivity and customer demand will be central to its eventual design and commercial structure.

From Kenya to a wider HERCULES™ platform

AMACO says the HERCULES™ strategy extends beyond Kenya, with the company developing the platform as a scalable infrastructure model for deployment in strategically important markets across East Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Mediterranean.

Its underlying principle is that reliable and scalable power will become increasingly important in determining where future AI and data-centre capacity can be developed.

For Kenya, the proposed Mombasa platform could bring together several areas of infrastructure development: industrial power supply, marine engineering, electrification, digital connectivity and data-centre services.

The next phase

AMACO says it is advancing the technical, commercial, regulatory and financial preparations required for the next phase of the HERCULES™ initiative in Kenya.

The company identifies technical and site assessments, strategic partnerships, commercial and offtake structures, potential Power Purchase Agreements, regulatory and legal frameworks, grid integration, connectivity, financing and project-development structures as areas of focus.

The GE Vernova cooperation provides a further technology partnership for the proposed power platform, while the potential industrial and data-centre demand around Mombasa gives the project a clearer market context.

The next stage will be to bring these elements together through the technical and commercial development work required for an integrated power and digital infrastructure project.

For Mombasa, the significance of HERCULES™ lies in that wider ambition: to develop a power platform that can support both industrial growth and the next generation of digital infrastructure.