Kenya electricity generation has received a boost after more than 280 MW was added to the national grid last year from various geothermal projects, making the country self-sufficient in power generation.
The ongoing geothermal projects have added so much power to the national grid that Kenya has not imported power from Tanzania since November last year and is also decreasing its imports from Uganda.
Geothermal resources in the Rift Valley have been tapped to the maximum and this is part of the vision of adding 5,000 MW to its electricity output by 2017. That will add to the country’s existing capacity of about 2,152 MW. The country has close to 3,000 MW of proven geothermal energy in the Rift Valley, but currently exploits just over 390 MW of geothermal capacity.
Other sources of power in the region are geothermal, hydro and thermal sources.
