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The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) says construction of Olkaria I power project is now 70pc complete and will be operational by June next year.
This follows the installation of two steam turbines and two generators for Units 2 and 3 received from Japan earlier this year for the 65 megawatts facility.
“The timely arrival and installation of these critical components mark an important step in our mission to deliver affordable, reliable, and green energy to the people of Kenya,” said Peter Njenga, KenGen Chief Executive Officer.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Africa Energy Forum in Cape Town, South Africa Njenga said the final set of turbine and generator units, assigned to Unit 1, was dispatched in late May and already in transit and expects the equipment to dock at Mombasa and to arrive at the Olkaria site by the end of the month.
The energy generator says other major plant components have already been delivered and several have been installed as work on the facility moves into its final stages.
“We are now at 70pc on the key project milestones and are confident to commission the first turbine by June 2026.”
According to Njenga, Olkaria I expansion is expected to improve electricity reliability getting Kenya closer to its 100pc clean energy target by 2030 as the East African nation works to phase out use of fossil fuels for energy generation.
“We are conscious about our carbon footprint and that is why we are deliberate about our focus on green energy projects which are not only climate-sensitive but are also sustainable thereby preserving our planet for future generations while supporting economic development,” he added.
The additional 63MW is expected to further enhance the capacity of Olkaria I and bring Kenya closer to joining the elite 1GW club of largest geothermal producers in the world.
