Kenya’s share in the Obama’s Power Africa project

Last Updated 13 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Kenya is one of the beneficiaries of the newly launched Power Africa project by President Barrack Obama of the US. The $7 billion project aimed at bringing 10,000MW of electricity to sub-Saharan Africa will see to Kenya adding 400 mega watts of energy.

Aldwych International, a Dutch-backed company will spearhead the 400MW power in Kenya with plans to set up a wind energy plant under the three year $2million power “Off-Grid Energy Challenge”.

Speaking to Kenya Engineer, an engineer with the Kenya Power who sought anonymity pointed that 400MW of power is not small by Kenyan standards where the peak demand is 1300MW.He pointed that though the amount was minimal, it would count.

Aldwych International is not new in the country having set up a 80-90MW power project in Rabai, Mombasa which was synchronized to the grid in 2009.The firm is also part of the consortium undertaking the country’s biggest wind power project which also happens to be the largest single private investment  in Kenya’s history, the Lake Turkana Wind Project.

The LTWP wind farm covering 40,000 acres in Loyangalani District in north-eastern Kenya will see to 300MW power added into the national grid. The project is ongoing while Ketraco is on a mission to construct a double circuit 400kV, 428km transmission line to deliver the LTWP electricity along with power from other future plants to the national grid.  

Among other firms intended to join the Power Africa project include Heirs Holdings, investment vehicle of Nigerian tycoon Tony Elumelu, which has pledged $2.5 billion; General Electric who already have activities running in the country and have partnered to co-fund the project; Symbion Power who recently completed a 55 mw diesel-powered electricity project in Tanzania.

{flike} {fsend} {fshare}

{fcomment}