Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen), a leading electric power generating company in Kenya, and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS), a leading supplier of integrated energy solutions, have concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on operation and maintenance (O&M) services for geothermal power plants in East Africa
KenGen currently produces around 60% of the electricity installed in Kenya – 86% of which is reportedly generated from renewable energy. A big part of this is geothermal power and KenGen has a 799MW generation installed capacity, including the Olkaria Geothermal Power Plants, Kenya’s largest geothermal power complex. Under this MOU, KenGen will contribute to the development of geothermal power plants in East African countries.
Toshiba ESS has delivered 60 geothermal power generation sets with a total capacity of about 3,790MW all over the world, including Africa. It also supplied four sets of 70MW steam turbines and generators for KenGen’s Olkaria I and IV Geothermal Power Plants.
Toshiba ESS business development executive, Toyoaki Fujita, commented, “I’m delighted to announce this cooperation with KenGen, Toshiba ESS has collaborated in the development of geothermal power generation and human resources in Uganda, Malawi, and other East African countries. Through this collaboration, I’m convinced that we can contribute to supplying clean and safe energy in the regions with KenGen.”
KenGen managing director & CEO, Rebecca Miano, said, “Geothermal energy provides sustainable power supply. It is a resource we have in abundance in Kenya, an advantage that has enabled us to build a considerable wealth of expertise in its exploration and development. This we have done for more than 50 years.”
There is an ongoing survey to identify geothermal resources in the Great Rift Valley, a tectonic plate boundary running from north to south with immense geothermal potential. Both companies are delighted to cooperate in this opportunity, and plan further business expansion.
