GDC with big plans for Baringo and Bogoria areas in Kenya
Lake Bogoria, Kenya (source: flickr/ Rainbirder, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
15 Nov 2015
GDC has big plans for the Baringo, Bogoria region in Kenya quoting a potential of up to 3,000 MW in geothermal power generation capacity.
In a recent article in local media in Kenya, Geothermal Development Company is said to have plans to generate more than 3,000 MW of electricity in Baringo County, to the Northwest of Olkaria. While one can be sceptical about the stated potential, one can still see that this plays an important role in the work of GDC in the future.
GDC has identified Silale, Paka, Korossi/Chepchuk and areas around lakes Baringo and Bogoria as potential areas for geothermal development.
Speaking Thursday at the conclusion of the county’s investment forum officially titiled Baringo Entrepreneurship Expo Summit (BEES), Ms Ruth Musembi, GDC’s Corporate Communications Manager, said that by 2030, the county will have capacity to supply more than 20,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
“Baringo County is endowed with massive energy resources which, if well tapped, can turn around the economy of the area. The county has the capacity to supply energy not only to the country but other countries as well,” said Ms Musembi.
The company was in the process of drilling more than 42 geothermal wells and the first phase of the project will start at the Bogoria-Silale Geothermal Block, which is expected to generate more than 200 MW by 2016, she said.
Upon completion, the whole project will produce 24 tonnes of water every hour translating to 576,000 tonnes of water every day.
According to GDC, this will boost food security as it will lead to establishment of a mega-irrigation scheme in the area, which can reduce over-dependence on rain-fed agriculture and support the development of tourist resorts.
Out of the 5,000 megawatts of electricity which the government plans to generate by 2016 from various agencies, 810MW will be developed by GDC in Baringo (200MW), Menengai (460MW) and Suswa (150MW) respectively.
Source: AllAfrica
