Work has started on steam gathering system for Menengai project, Kenya
View over Lake Nakuru, Kenya (source: flickr/ crgreene, creative commons)
Francisco Rojas
17 Nov 2014
The contractor H.S Young has started to build the network of pipes that will collect geothermal steam from different wells and channel them to the power plants from GDC.
According to local news, the steam gathering system for the Nakuru – Menengai project in Kenya is moving forward and Contractor, H.S Young is on site to build the network of pipes that will collect geothermal steam from different wells and channel them to the power plants.
However, consumers might wait longer to enjoy the first fruit from Geothermal Development Company where more than 300 billion shillings has been spent on geothermal activities.
GDC opened a green field at Menengai where it had planned to drill wells with a capacity of 100 MW by this year.
According to the company, it has surpassed this target, by an additional 10 MW, the twist however is that this power has not yet been injected into the national grid, begging the question, what could be wrong?
While commissioning the Olkaria IV project, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the cost of electricity was bound to go further down by about 50% by next year as the government invested in more in geothermal projects.
The delay in setting up generation plants by the three IPPs picked by GDC may however spoil the party for consumers who are eagerly waiting for that reduction. GDC now says it has stuck a big well at the location which may be the answer to the shortage of the required steam.
The geothermal company signed a contract with 3 independent power producers for each firm to put up 35MW power plants by the end of next year.
Source: Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
