Infrastructure
Chinese Firm Wins Narok-Bomet Transmission Deal
Ketraco hires North China Power Engineering for the 132kV Narok-Bomet line.
The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has signed a deal with a Chinese firm to construct the 132kV double-circuit Narok-Bomet transmission line.
This initiative is part of the Sh15.6 billion Kenya Transmission Network Improvement Project (KTNIP), which also encompasses the Weru-Malindi-Kilifi and Rumuruti-Kabarnet high-voltage transmission lines.
Ketraco has not disclosed the actual value of the contract with North China Power Engineering Company, Limited.
The Managing Director, John Mativo, said the Narok-Bomet transmission line was scheduled for completion on 30 September 2025.
“The other two lines, Weru-Malindi-Kilifi and Rumuruti-Kabarnet, are to be firmed up,” he added.
The KTNIP is co-financed by AfDB with Sh7.6 billion, the National Treasury with Sh646 million, and the Korea Economic Development Corporation Fund with Sh7.36 billion.
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The project involves constructing transmission lines of three lines, each with a capacity of 200kV and 132kV, with a total length of 273 kilometres.
The 132kV double-circuit lines are designed to increase system reliability and capacity by allowing two independent circuits over the same towers.
Such a configuration provides redundancy, that is, continued running even when one circuit fails, and supports higher transmission capacities, thus becoming critical in the light of increasing energy demands and improving grid stability.
The Narok-Bomet and Rumuruti-Kabarnet lines will be used to evacuate excess geothermal energy from Ol Karia to western Kenya and to retire the 60-megawatt Muhoroni gas turbine.
On the other hand, it will fundamentally overhaul the transmission network in Kenya after several decades of underinvestment and increase the grid capacity to absorb rising demand.
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