(Courtesy CIA.gov) |
Japanese firms have emerged as top builders of Kenya’s geothermal power plants and suppliers of heavy duty equipment such as steam turbines, tapping into the country’s shift to green energy.
The bulk of Kenya’s geothermal plants have been constructed by companies from the Far East nation, including global conglomerates Mitsubishi, Toyota Tsusho and Toshiba.
Power producer KenGen recently contracted a consortium comprising Mitsubishi to construct a 158 MW Olkaria V steam power plant in Naivasha. It will be completed mid-next year.
The firm will also supply turbines that convert steam to mechanical energy and passed through generators to produce electricity.