Plans are at an innovative stage to link a young geothermic office plant , Olkaria V with an install capacity of 165.4 MW into the land ’s national power storage-battery grid .
Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC , ( KenGen ) has made considerable progression in the construction of Olkaria V Geothermal Power which is a undertaking spread across three declaration namely ; Lot I -Steamfield maturation , Lot II - Power Plant and Lot II – High emf sub - station and transmission lines . The project will cost USD 450 million . Construction contracts have been finance through a combination of KenGen ’s internally generated funds and a loanword adeptness from Japan International Corporation Agency ( JICA ) that was signed in March 2016 .
The major power plant contract commenced in January 2017 and is for a flow of 30 month with commissioning schedule for July 2019 .
The undertaking is being implanted under the various EPC ( Engineering , Procurement and mental synthesis ) contracts whereby most of the design and engineering is perfect while most cardinal equipment have been pimp and are at dissimilar stage of assembly on site . KenGen complete the drilling of the geothermal wells that will furnish steam to drive the power plant in 2016 . The power generated at the plant will be evacuate through high electromotive force power occupation from Olkaria to Suswa sub - station .
The commissioning of Olkaria V will lead to a total installed content of geothermic ability for KenGen to 699 MW . The structure of Olkaria V is in line with KenGen ’s scheme for harnessing affordable and renewable base load vigor in support to the country ’s vigour needs and the expect enabler for the Big Four growth pillars of nutrient security , low-priced housing , fabrication and affordable healthcare .
The projection is divide into four lots- consultancy services , procurement and construction of steamfield , engineering , procurance and construction of the power plant , engineering , construction and procurement of high electric potential substations and transmittance transmission line
Construction of the power plant , which comprises two units , began in January 2017 and is sic for commissioning in July 2019 . The two units are under building by the Consortium of Mitsubishi Corporation , Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd and H - Young & Company E.A Limited .
KenGen , East Africa ’s largest energy producer , plans to deliver steam for Unit one by January 2019 and for Unit two by April 2019 .
Commercial surgical process of Unit one ( 82MW ) has been scheduled for mid - April while that for Unit two is set for July 2019 . Also in the line is Olkaria 1 Unit 6 ( 83MW ) .
Speaking during a tour of the project in Naivasha , the companionship ’s Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer , Mrs. Rebecca Miano , was pollyannaish about the progress made so far . “ We are happy with the milestones our team has made . Everything is on docket and this ties with our future plans for geothermal Energy Department product , ” she said .
KenGen ’s strategy focuses on increase geothermal energy to meet the area ’s growing electrical energy demand .
During the last financial year , the company ’s revenue generate from geothermal power plant increased from 16.1 billion in 2017 to 17.1 billion in 2018 which translated to a growth of six percent .
Two generators , each weighing more than 130 tonnes , have been turn in on site . Installation of Unit one generator is in progress . Installation of unit two generator will accompany immediately after installation of unit one is completed .
For more information : KenGenwww.kengen.co.ke
