Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is set to embark on the construction of Kenya’s second largest wind power plant in Marsabit County. With an initial capacity of 200 megawatts (MW), the project is expected to significantly boost the country’s renewable energy generation and contribute to its ambitious goal of achieving a fully green national grid by 2030.
The new wind farm will surpass the current largest wind power plant in Kenya, the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP), which has a capacity of 310 MW. KenGen is currently finalizing consultations with local communities in Marsabit County regarding land acquisition for the multi-billion shilling project. Construction is slated to commence in 2026.
Kenya’s shift towards renewable energy sources, particularly wind and geothermal, is driven by its commitment to reducing reliance on costly and environmentally harmful thermal power plants. KenGen already operates a 26MW wind farm in Ngong Hills, which generated 57 Gigawatt hours of electricity in the year ending June 2023.
The Marsabit County wind farm project will be implemented in phases, with the initial phase producing 200 MW. Subsequent phases are expected to increase the total generation capacity to 800 MW, making it the largest wind power plant in Africa.
French development agency Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has expressed interest in financing the project, which is expected to require substantial investment. AFD has been a longstanding partner of KenGen, providing funding for various projects, including the Olkaria geothermal power plants.
KenGen’s installed capacity across its geothermal, hydro, wind, and thermal plants stood at 1,904.58 MW as of June 2023. In the year ending June, the company supplied 60% of the total electricity consumed in Kenya, with geothermal power plants accounting for the majority (63.4%), followed by hydro (31.4%). Thermal power plants contributed a mere 4% due to their high cost and environmental impact.
The Marsabit County wind farm, along with increased generation from geothermal and hydro plants, is poised to significantly enhance KenGen’s electricity sales to Kenya Power and contribute to Kenya’s ambitious target of achieving a fully green national grid by 2030.
KenGen’s expansion plans include injecting an additional 2.5 GW of renewable energy into the grid by 2030, further solidifying Kenya’s position as a leader in sustainable energy generation.
