AfDB funds transmission line plan for 310-MW Kenyan wind farm - report

Dec 9, 2014 - The African Development Bank (AfDB) is providing a partial risk guarantee of EUR 20 million (USD 25m) for the transmission link associated with the 310-MW Lake Turkana wind farm in Kenya, Reuters said Monday.

The complex will feed power to the national grid through a 428-km (266-mile) transmission line to be built by Kenyan national grid company Ketraco. The transmission system will connect the outskirts of Nairobi to Loyangalani near the project site.

The risk guarantee was awarded to Ketraco and will enable the wind project developer to be compensated even if the network is not ready by the time the plant starts power generation, Lake Turkana Wind Power’s project director, Carlo Van Wageningen, said as cited by the news agency.

The Lake Turkana project calls for an investment of EUR 623 million. It envisages the installation of 365 pieces of 850-kW Vestas wind turbines in Nairobi, which will make the facility the largest of its kind in Africa. Construction works will start early next year, while commercial operations are scheduled to commence by 2017.

Once operational, the 310-MW complex will be able to generate enough power for about 330,000 local homes, accounting for 15% of Kenya’s total power production. It will help the country lift its power generation capacity by 5,000 MW by 2017.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.232)

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