Kenya:

KenGen Managing Director Talks About Geothermal Plans (Daily Nation)

Smart Company interviewed KenGen’s managing director and GRC member Albert Mugo at Olkaria.

KenGen managing director Albert Mugo

Tell us about the new 30 MWe new well. This is the largest to be tested in our exploration history. It has a production capacity of 30 MW and is bigger than the previous one whose output was 18 MW. It is also one of the largest in the world.

By getting 30 MW from one well, it will help us accelerate plans towards the 5,000 MW plan by the government to add new capacity for more affordable energy. The well can supply twice the electricity needs of Naivasha or half the demand of Nakuru town.

When are we likely to attain 280 MW? The project has four units which are staggered until August. The first unit of 70 MW will be unveiled in March. The second unit will come in May, while the third in June. We expect to run full reliability tests and commission the entire 280 MW by September 2014. This will help meet Kenya’s growing demand for electricity through geothermal sources which is less costly.

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