Infrastructure
Sh16bn Olkaria-Kisumu High-Voltage Power Line Complete
The line will evacuate electricity from Olkaria to Kisumu.
Construction work for the Sh16 billion Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu Transmission Line has been completed, actualising a facility that seeks to supply reliable power to western Kenya.
The 308km 400/220/132kV transmission line, which is now being tested, will evacuate electricity from Olkaria geothermal fields in Naivasha through Lessos to Kisumu City.
Financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with the Kenyan government to the tune of Sh16 billion, the new high-voltage transmission line will also supply affordable and stable power to Kisumu Port.
The Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu transmission line construction project was undertaken by the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) as part of a State initiative to provide reliable and efficient national electricity transmission for economic development.
The transmission line was completed in three lots the first of which involved construction of the 229km 400kV double circuit transmission line from the Olkaria II substation to Lessos.
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The second lot involved the construction of a 79km 220kV double circuit transmission line from the Lessos substation to the Kibos substation and 132kV from Kibos to Mamboleo in Kisumu.
The final lot involved the construction of a new 220/132 kV substation at Kibos and the extension of the present 400/220kV Lessos and 220kV Olkaria II substations.
“The project is complete and in its final stages of testing awaiting commissioning,” KETRACO said in a statement on Thursday.
The project is scheduled to be inaugurated by President Uhuru Kenyatta during his five-day tour of Kisumu County ahead of the Madaraka Day celebrations on Tuesday.
Kisumu is currently supplied by hydropower from Sondu Miriu – Kisumu transmission line and Tororo – Musaga – Lessos – Muhorini interconnector, and the diesel-powered Muhoroni – Mamboleo line.
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