KENYA: President Kenyatta Commissions KenGen’s Olkaria V and Olkaria I Additional Unit 6 Geothermal Power Stations

His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has commissioned KenGen’s Olkaria V and Olkaria I Additional Unit 6 (Olkaria I AU6) geothermal power stations in Naivasha, Nakuru County.

Olkaria V is a 158MW plant while Olkaria I AU6, with the largest single turbine unit ever installed in any of KenGen’s 5 geothermal units, has an installed capacity of 83.3MW.

The Commissioning of Olkaria I AU now brings KenGen Kenya’s total installed capacity to 1,904MW, while the Company’s geothermal capacity now stands at 799MW.

“This is indeed a great milestone for not only KenGen but the rest of Kenyans as far as developing clean energy is concerned. Clean and safe energy is increasingly becoming vital in energy development, and it is through this approach that we shall attain universal access to electricity in our nation and meet key energy needs,” said President Kenyatta.

Speaking at the event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Amb. Dr. Monica Juma said her Ministry will continue to fulfill its mandate of providing clean and affordable energy for the nation with a focus on countering climate change.

“The completion of this project marks another milestone in Kenya’s efforts towards achieving energy security as well as accelerating economic growth through improved energy access. It represents an important moment in our efforts to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and create a more sustainable future for us all,” said the CS.

“This project is vital for our nation because considering that adequate supply of electricity is undeniably a primary enabler for our economic development. Through the experiences of this project, we are glad we managed to gain new experiences in geothermal development. Notably, the commissioning of Olkaria I Unit 6 propels us an inch closer to the Geothermal Gigawatt Club,” KenGen Board Chairman, Gen. (Rtd) Samson Mwathethe said.

KenGen reiterated that the company’s geothermal agenda was to increase production in line with the growing demand for power while also ensuring that the business lives up to the expectations of shareholders.

The company is also seeking to deliver over half the capacity from geothermal development and the rest from other clean sources.