Uhuru Kenyatta breaks grounds for 158 MW Olkaria V power project

President Uhuru Kenyatta today broke ground for the construction of the Olkaria V power project which will is expected to produce 158 MW of electricity.

The President also commissioned 14 wellhead units with a capacity to produce a total of 75 MW of electricity.

“In commissioning these wells, and in breaking ground for the new project, we take a mighty step on the road to prosperity for this nation,” said the President.

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The ‘wellhead unit’ is a unique technology developed by Kenyan engineers to harness geothermal power, which has reduced the duration between the first drilling of a well and installation of a geothermal plant from five years to two years.

“Innovation must be the new identity of Kenyan institutions if we are going to see the transformation Kenyans demand,” President said at the event at Olkaria, Nakuru County.

President Kenyatta took time to challenge other Kenyan institutions to follow the Kengen’s innovative way and help transform the country.

Uhuru further added that Kenya has one of the largest reserves of geothermal energy and therefore more plants will be constructed to harness the power for the benefit of Kenyans.

“That this form of energy is not subject to the vagaries of the weather, and that it runs at a respectable rate more than 90% of the time every year, means that we can bring reliable power to every Kenyan home,” said the President.

He added that his government has a clear vision to provide sufficient, cheap, green and reliable energy for Kenya.

“Once again, the path is clear: we expect that the peak load will grow to about 15,000 MW by 2030; that demand will be met by raising installed capacity gradually to 19,200 MW by 2030,” said the President

The commissioning was attended by several government officials who included Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua and Japan’s Ambassador to Kenya.

(courtesy