Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) said in a statement that construction of the 83MW Olkaria I, Additional Unit (AU) 6 Geothermal Power Plant in Kenya had been completed, kicking off work to connect it to the national power grid. This achievement comes after the successful delivery of full steam to the power plant, which sets in action technical steps that will lead to commercial operation in June 2022.
Rebecca Miano, KenGen’s Managing Director, and CEO commended the milestone as a significant step forward in the country’s efforts toward 100% renewable energy consumption by 2030, which she also stated will assure a dependable supply of clean power to promote Kenya’s economic development.
She stated that the building of Olkaria I Unit 6 is in line with the company’s long-term strategy and Kenya’s Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP), which is centered on the sustainable supply of renewable energy support of the government’s Big Four Agenda.
Olkaria I Geothermal Power Plant undergoes reliability test
The plant, which will inject 83.3MW into the national grid, is presently undergoing reliability testing to validate its production. This is the final procedure that signals the end of the building era.
The initial steam admission, which is an essential aspect of evaluating the turbine’s functionality, was carried out by the turbine manufacturer, Fuji Electric Global, in collaboration with the project contractor, Marubeni Corporation. The tests occurred roughly nine months after the work to install the steam turbine at the new power plant began.
The turbine is presently the largest single unit of turbine ever installed in a KenGen geothermal power plant. This was also the first time a Fuji turbine had been placed in Africa, not just Kenya.
Geothermal to account for 42% of KenGen’s total installed generating capacity
Geothermal power now accounts for up to 39% of KenGen’s total installed generating capacity. With the extra 83MW from Olkaria I Geothermal Power Plant, geothermal is planned to increase from 713MW to 796MW, increasing KenGen’s geothermal installed capacity to around 42%.
Olkaria I, Additional Unit 6 geothermal power plant construction began in December 2018 following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
