This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Kenya has taken a significant step in its energy sector with the connection of the first unit of the Olkaria V geothermal power plant to the national grid. The plant, located near Naivasha, achieved its full load of 86.6 Megawatts (MW) on Sunday.
However, the second unit of the plant has been delayed following an incident during test runs, which left 10 staff members injured.
The Olkaria V plant, with a total capacity of 165MW, will increase Kenya's geothermal power generation capacity to 849 MW, making it the second-largest producer in the world after Italy.
With the addition of the Olkaria V plant, Kenya's total installed capacity will reach 726.6 MW, making it one of the top 10 producers of geothermal power globally.
Kenya's expertise in geothermal energy is unrivalled in Africa, with an installed capacity of 723MW being harnessed in the Olkaria, Menegai, and Eburru fields in the Rift Valley.
Geothermal energy is an affordable and reliable source of power, and Kenya's expansion of its geothermal capacity is a significant milestone in the country's energy sector.
