Kenyan power utility KenGen announced that construction of the Olkaria V geothermal power plant would start in the third quarter of 2016.

“We hope to sign construction contract in October, after which the developer will be able to start works around the end of year,” said Albert Mugo, director of KenGen. The 140 MW plant will be built over 30 months. Japan provided $408 million to support its implementation.

This plant is the fifth which will be built on the Olkaria site as it already hosts the Olkaria I (185 MW), Olkaria II (105 MW), Olkaria III (110 MW) and Olkaria IV (140 MW) plants.

KenGen, which intends to add 720 MW to Kenya’s capacity by the next four years, encourages private sector’s actors to invest in the industry. With the energetic demand which should reach 4,000 MW by 2020, our success in the future depends on proper planning. This is why we are inviting shareholders to assert their right so that we have the capital required for our expansion, added Mugo.

Presently, Kenya produces 1,617 MW of which 509 MW come from geothermal plants.

Gwladys Johnson