Kenya Electricity Generating (KenGen) is seeking more geothermal power in the Eburru region of Gilgil constituency, bolstering the government’s aim for cleaner and greener energy.
The power firm hopes to generate an additional 25 megawatts from the geothermal-rich region as part of the project.
The move comes two weeks after the firm announced that it will add 86 megawatts to the national grid in the following month.
As the government prepares to phase out costly thermal electricity, work on the Olkaria 1 (unit 6) power plant in Naivasha is virtually complete and ready for commissioning.
Peketsa Mangi, KenGen acting geothermal development director said Eburru had a high potential for geothermal power. He said that studies were going on adding that already KenGen had a well-head in Eburru that was currently producing 2.4mw.
“Our engineers are on the ground conducting feasibility studies with plans to tap an extra 25mw into the national grid before the end of the year,” he said.
Speaking in Olkaria, Mangi noted that currently, KenGen installed capacity from geothermal power stood at over 700mw with plans to increase this in the coming month.
“The Olkaria 1 unit six is nearly complete and this will see another 86mw pumped into the national grid by next month as we move towards increasing green energy,” he said.
He noted that KenGen was committed to increasing geothermal power and pointed to the mega 280mw power plant in Olkaria, which is the biggest on the continent.
Earlier, senior managers from the European Investment Bank (EIB) which has supported geothermal exploration in Naivasha paid a courtesy call to KenGen offices.
In a statement, the Director of Finance in KenGen, Dr John Mundany, noted that Covid-19 had affected several ongoing projects in Olkaria.
“Construction works are ongoing but the project has been affected by the onset of the pandemic which saw the site closed for two weeks following infection of some personnel,” he said.
