Infrastructure

KenGen to Build Africa’s Biggest Wind Farm

The 1000 MW wind farm is expected to be completed by 2028.

Updated on

October 3, 2023

KenGen is scheduled to build a gigawatt-scale (1000 MW) wind farm in Marsabit, northern Kenya, as the push towards achieving 100% renewable energy intensifies.

According to a report published by Bloomberg, the company will seek debt funding to cover 75% of the required investment and finance the balance with equity.

The facility, the cost of which has not been disclosed, will unseat the 310 MW Lake Turkana Wind Farm, also in Marsabit, as the biggest wind farm in Africa.

It will also improve Kenya’s position as a global leader in renewable power, with about 92% of the country’s current capacity coming from renewables such as solar, geothermal and hydroelectric dams.

The 1000 MW wind farm is expected to be completed by 2028, which is two years before Kenya’s deadline to achieve 100% renewable energy production.

The project will be developed in phases based on findings from feasibility studies conducted by the Agence Française de Développement, taking into account the increase in demand capacity and grid security requirements.

The wind farm is part of the company’s revamped corporate strategy, which seeks to add 3,000 MW to the national grid within the next 10 years.

This will double the country’s installed generation capacity to 6,000 MW.

KenGen is also advancing plans for the rehabilitation of its existing power plants to make them more efficient for the sustainable generation of electricity.

The company is advancing plans for an ambitious project to build a Sh110 billion energy park at Olkaria in Naivasha, Nakuru County.

The industrial park, whose construction will begin in 2025, will target industries such as fertilizer, iron and steel, textile, foods and beverages, among others.

The project will sit on KenGen’s 1,824 hectares at the Olkaria geothermal hub.

“The proposed masterplan is scheduled to be implemented in four phases of five years each, with the initial phase anticipated to kick off in the year 2025,” Nema said in an earlier notice inviting public comments on the project.

The industrial park is expected to be completed in 2045.