The construction of the 93 kilometres Isinya (Kenya)-Namanga (Tanzania) electricity transmission line is complete according to Davis Chirchir. The latter is Kenya’s Energy Cabinet Secretary.
The CS further revealed that the facility will enter into operations by December 2023. He said, “The construction of the 400 kV (kilovolts) electricity power line is complete. We thus expect to put it into operation before the end of the year.
Also Read: Kenya-Tanzania Power Interconnection Project
This will allow the two countries (Kenya and Tanzania) to share the excess electricity. In addition, it will allow the two economies to tap hydropower from neighbouring Ethiopia.”
At the moment, the Isinya (Kenya)-Namanga (Tanzania) electricity transmission line project stakeholders are working on setting up meters along the line. Activities related to this stage of the project should be completed by September 2023.
Development of the Isinya (Kenya)-Namanga (Tanzania) electricity transmission line project
The Isinya (Kenya)-Namanga (Tanzania) electricity transmission line project was launched back in 2018. It was initially expected to be completed in 2021 according to the originally planned delivery schedule. However, the project experienced a delay in delivery due to difficulties in compensating the Kenyans affected by the project.
With a length of 93 kilometres for an announced transfer capacity of 2,000 megawatts, the installation forms part of the Eastern Africa Power Pool. The latter is a collaborative effort by eleven countries in Eastern Africa to interconnect their electricity grids. This will enable them to take advantage of excess capacity within the network and facilitate the trade of electric power between the members.
There are also plans to link the EAPP with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), reportedly the first formal international power pool in Africa. This interconnection will enable sharing of power between the two regions in a bid to boost supply.
“We are developing networks to support electricity trade and facilitate energy exchanges between East and Southern Africa,” Chirchir said.
