The Deputy President (DP), Rigathi Gachagua has led the ground breaking for the construction of Menengai Geothermal Power Project in Nakuru County.
The project is aimed at adding 35 Megawatt (MW) to the national grind upon completion.
“This will contribute to lowering the cost of energy and accelerate Manufacturing, Digital Economy, among other benefits,” stated the DP.
The Geothermal Power Project is also aimed at attaining a 100 per cent transition to green energy as the country continues to work towards the 2032 vision of planting 15 billions trees following President Ruto’s mandate.
“As one of the countries most affected by climate change, we are determined to attain our target of 100 percent transition to green energy; it is clean, reliable, affordable, and sustainable,” emphasized Rigathi.
Kenya has been grappling with high power bills mainly because of the fuel cost charge— the money that Kenya Power collects from consumers on behalf of the thermal power generators.
The charge significantly rises when fuel prices go up and when the amount of oil consumed by the generators increases. Increased use of electricity from fuel generators hits consumers with high power bills due to the high cost of fuel, underscoring why cutting reliance on thermal plants is key to lowering the cost of electricity.
The Menengai’s project has been the part of Kenya’s commitment, announced at COP27 in November 2022, to fast-track green investment projects worth $3.99 billion. Financing agreements for the project were signed in December 2022 with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Eastern and Southern African Trade & Development Bank, and Finnfund.
