Kenya to save Sh2bn electricity by supplying geothermal power to western Kenya

Kenya is said to be saving 2 billion shillings worth of electricity per year lost through leakages during transportation with the construction of a more efficient transmission line to supply geothermal power to western Kenya for the first time.

The 300 kilometres high voltage line, with the benefit of less power losses, is set for completion early next year and will connect Counties in Western Kenya to geothermal power plants in Olkaria, Naivasha. Through the 220/400kilovolt Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu line, western parts of the country will for the first time receive geothermal electricity, a cheap, green and renewable source.

“The line, once complete, will save at least 2 billion shillings that is lost via technical losses in the current 132kilovolt lines that are overstretched at the moment. Further savings will come from the shutdown of the current thermal generator at Muhoroni,” said FCPA Fernandes Barasa, the Managing Director at Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO).

Low voltage power lines suffer the drawback of heavy electricity losses during transmission. The system losses are the difference between the units of electricity that retailer Kenya Power buys from producers and the actual units sold to homes and businesses. “The project will, therefore, offer an evacuation route for the geothermal power from Olkaria to West Kenya and also provide voltage support to the region,” FCPA Barasa opined.

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