Kenya’s Electricity Generation: Capacity Rises at 3,000MW

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone- Kenya incorporated 102.34 megawatts to its installed capacity for electricity generation in the fiscal year 2021/22, bolstering efforts to provide stable power at a time when peak demand reached a new high.

According to Epra data, Kenya’s established capacity sat at 3,074.34 megawatts in June 2022 up from 2,972 megawatts the last year. The boost was influenced by the expansion of four new plants that provide the national grid.

“The installed electricity capacity increased by 102.34 megawatts from 2,972 megawatts also June 2021 to 3,074 megawatts as of June 2022.Geothermal and solar generation increased by 86 megawatts and 120megawatts, respectively,” Epra divulged in their report.

The plants augmented to the grid are 86 megawatts from Olkaria 1 unit 6, 40 megawatts from Selenkei Solar, 40 megawatts from Malindi Solar, and another 40 megawatts from Cedate Solar.

The rise in installed capacity arose when peak demand attained a record-breaking 2,057 megawatts on June 14th, 2022 up from 1,993.63 megawatts the previous year, as financial workout proceeded to soar despite the easing of coronavirus-induced curbs.

Kenya banked on thermal power plants to supplement supply during peak demand for electricity or during extended droughts that lessen hydro production considerably.

Kenya Power is moreover sprinting to assure compatible supply to its thriving customer base. According to Epra data, the State-owned power utility put in 703,331 customers to the national grid in the previous fiscal year, the highest single-year addition since June 2017, when 1.31 million customers joined the national grid.

Nonetheless, the thermal power plant installed capacity fell 21.02% to 646.32 megawatts during the survey period due to the retirement of Tsavo Power, whose purchase agreement ended in September 2021.

Kenya is eager to reduce its reliance on thermal power to curtail pollution and is trusting on high supply from solar, geothermal, and wind sources.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent