An aerial view of the Olkaria I Extra Unit 6 (Olkaria I AU6) geothermal energy stations in Naivasha, Nakuru County. PHOTO | PSCU
Chinese language agency SEPCOIII Electrical Energy Development Co. Ltd has received a multi-billion-shilling job to improve Kenya’s oldest geothermal energy plant.
Kenya’s high energy producer, KenGen has awarded the agency the tender to improve the output of the 45 megawatt (MW) Olkaria I geothermal energy plant to 63MW.
SEPCOIII would be the Engineering, Procurement, and Development contractors (EPC), whereas Japanese agency Toshiba Vitality Programs and Options Company (Toshiba ESS) has been awarded the contract to produce steam generators and turbines for the three items of the ability plant.
The Nairobi Securities Alternate-listed firm, nonetheless, didn’t disclose the worth of the contracts awarded to the 2 companies.
“By leveraging the most recent developments in geothermal know-how, we goal to not solely improve the efficiency of the plant but in addition set new requirements for renewable vitality manufacturing in Kenya,” mentioned KenGen managing director Peter Njenga.
Olkaria I used to be the primary geothermal energy plant to be inbuilt Kenya with its first manufacturing unit put in in 1981.
It is without doubt one of the a number of vegetation owned by KenGen with an put in capability totaling 801MW.
Others are Olkaria I AU Items 4 & 5, Olkaria I AU Unit 6, OLkaria II, Olkaria IV, Olkaria V, Eburru, and a number of other wellhead items.
Modernisation of the undertaking is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
The undertaking is a part of KenGen’s wider plans to develop the capability of its current vegetation. Apart from the Olkaria I rehabilitation, the ability generator additionally plans to improve Olkaria IV and Olkaria I Unit IV and V in addition to the Gogo hydropower vegetation.
KenGen mentioned the improve of Olkaria I’ll improve electrical energy era output by as much as 40 p.c.
KenGen recorded a revenue after tax of Sh5.2 billion within the monetary 12 months to June 2023, a development of 48 p.c from Sh3.38 billion within the earlier 12 months.
