Africa’s largest wind power station set to go live in Kenya

September 8, 2018 in Energy, Foreign News, Renewable by Editor

Sept 08, 2018 – After a delay of nearly one year, Africa’s largest wind power station is set to begin supplying electricity to the Kenyan grid.

Kenya’s energy minister Mr. Charles Keter says the 400Kv transmission line linking the 310Mw Lake Turkana Wind Power Station to the national grid is now complete and energy should be flowing to Kenyan consumers starting next month.

Keter says the line would soon be commissioned. The power generated by the 365 wind turbines will replace diesel generation, significantly lowering the consumer tariff.

The power station is located at Loiyangalani in north-western Kenya closes to the shores of Lake Turkana. The location was chosen because of its consistently strong winds all year round. Studies showed that the location would not have winds for only five days in a year. According to the project’s promoters, the Lake Turkana location gives a yield of 62pc. This compares with offshore locations which have a yield of just 27pc.

Construction of the power station was completed more than a year ago but commissioning has been held back by delays in completing a transmission line to the facility under a separate contract.