The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has contracted a Chinese company to build the 132kV Narok-Bomet double circuit transmission line.
Catraco has signed a contract with China North Power Engineering Corporation to build the Narok-Bomet line as part of the Sh15.6 billion Kenya Transmission Network Improvement Project (KTNIP).
The other two projects under the KTNIP are the Weru-Malindi-Kilifi and Rumurti-Kabarnet high-voltage transmission lines. Ketraco did not disclose the value of its contract with North China Power Engineering Company.
The Narok-Bomet line will be completed by September 30, 2025, said John Mativo, Managing Director of Catraco.
“The other two lines (Rumuruti-Kabarnet and Weru-Malindi-Kilifi) are set to be strengthened,” he said.
The North Korea investment project is jointly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which provided a €54 million (Sh7.6 billion) loan, the National Treasury contributed $5 million (Sh646 million) while the Korea Economic Cooperation and Development Fund provided $57 million (Sh7.36 billion).
Three lines of 200 kV and 132 kV capacity will be constructed over a total distance of 273 km.
The Narok-Bomet and Rumuruti-Kabarnet lines will allow the surplus geothermal energy from Olkaria to be transported towards western parts of Kenya and decommission the 60MW Muhoroni gas turbine.
Meanwhile, the Weru-Malindi-Kilifi line will facilitate improved access to electricity in the coastal region, especially large power customers in the Mtwapa area on the coast who do not have grid connections.
“The investment will be essential in reducing severe transmission capacity constraints and grid congestion in western Kenya and improving the reliability and quality of electricity supply to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers,” the African Development Bank said in its project evaluation report.
The project will also see the construction of new substations in the project areas to enhance the transmission of electrical power over large areas.
Kenya is rushing to revamp its electricity transmission grid after decades of underinvestment in a bid to expand power access to new areas and boost the grid’s capacity to handle growing demand.
In addition to the usual use of tax revenues, loans and grants to undertake major infrastructure projects, the government is turning to public-private partnerships to build new power transmission lines.
This is aimed at easing the country’s ballooning debt burden.
Kenya is also seeking to enter into a public-private partnership agreement with India’s Adani Energy Solutions and Africa50 to build power transmission lines and substations under a public-private partnership agreement worth a total of $1.22 billion (Sh158.24 billion).
Both projects will be implemented by Adani Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the Adani Group and Africa50, under the supervision of Ketraco.
Adani Energy Solutions will build the 206-kilometre 400 kV Gilgil-Thika-Malaa-Konza power transmission line, as well as the 95-kilometre 220 kV Rongai-Keringet-Chemosit lines and the 70-kilometre 132 kV Menengai-Olkalou-Rumuruti lines.
The Indian company will also build a 400/220kV substation in Lesos and similar facilities in Rongai, Nakuru and Thordiboro in Kisumu each with a capacity of 132/33kV. The Treasury revealed in its draft Budget Policy Statement (BPS) that Adani’s projects will cost $907 million (Sh117.62 billion).
Africa50, owned by the African Development Bank and African governments, will build a 177-kilometre 400kV transmission line from Lussock to Lesos and a 64-kilometre 220kV Kisumu-Musaga transmission line.
The Africa 50 project package includes associated infrastructure such as power substations, including a new 400kV transformer station in Lusoke, new 220/33kV substations in Kakamega, and extensions of substations in Lesos, Musaga and Kibos.