Page 22 - Energize January 2021

NEWS

Kipeto wind power project connected

to national grid

ipeto Energy (KEP), has connected Kenya’s Kipeto wind marking the beginning of its two­year construction phase. The
farm to the national grid and will start generating power project is funded by equity from Actis­backed BioTherm
Knext week. Energy (88%) and Kenyan company Craftskills (12%)
KEP has connected a 17 km (220 kV) high voltage transmission alongside senior debt from the US International Development
line, linking the facility to the national grid at the Isinya substation Finance Corporation (DFC).
which signals the start of the go­live process. The project’s 60 GE KEP leased and secured more than 60 plots within the
1.7­103 wind turbines, each capable of producing 1,7 MW, will be project area for the wind turbine footprint and the
switched on in stages as part of a gradual ramp­up process, with all transmission line through voluntary participation of land
commercial tests due to be concluded within the next few months. owners, and has undertaken a number of local initiatives,
Located in Kajiado county, Kipeto is Kenya’s second largest including constructing new housing for local families outside
wind power project. Under a 20­year power purchase agreement the project’s 500 m buffer zone, supporting schools with PPE
(PPA) Kipeto will generate 100 MW of clean wind energy for the and sanitisation equipment as protection against the
Kenyan people, providing sufficient power for approximately 250 Coronavirus pandemic, drilling community water borings, and
000 households. This will make a significant contribution to establishing a youth vocational skills training programme to
Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Big Four Agenda. increase employment from within the local community.
Dr Kenneth Namunje, the chairman and director of Kipeto More than 800 jobs were created during the construction
Energy and a director of Craftskills says the project received phase of the project and an additional 60 permanent jobs are
support from the beginning from the local community. The anticipated during the operational phase. Around 200 families
assistance of KPLC and Ketraco made this final connection and are expected to benefit directly from the turbine revenue
energisation possible, he added. located on their land, with the company establishing a
Robert Skjodt, the CEO of BioTherm Energy said that the Community Trust to oversee further distribution of profits to
construction of the Kipeto wind project has been built to the the wider local area.
highest standards with strong support from the company’s To ensure international environmental standards were
engineering and construction partners Worley, China Machinery followed, KEP worked with specialist consultants during both
and Engineering Company and GE. “We are excited to be the planning and development stages of the project to
contributing to Kenya’s Vision 2030 goals and Big Four Agenda and undertake a series of environmental assessments and impact
demonstrating that solar and wind are cheaper sources of studies. With support from USAID Power Africa, Kipeto
electricity than traditional fossil­fuel­based power plants with a developed and initiated a Biodiversity Action Plan, which is
significant positive impact in the local communities”, he said. designed around the international best practice outlined in
The Kipeto project reached financial close in December 2018, the IFC Environmental and Social Performance standards. n

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