Garissa Substation uprated to place Dadaab on the grid

KETRACO tripled the capacity of a transformer at the facility to address soaring electricity demand in Garissa while extending reliable power to previously unserved areas in the region.

The Garissa Substation was originally commissioned in 2016 to transition the area away from its historical dependence on costly, locally generated diesel power.

While the construction of the Mwingi–Garissa transmission line successfully linked the region to the national grid, steady economic growth over the past couple of years pushed the station to its limits.

“Garissa Substation has experienced increased demand over the years, and this upgrade will provide additional capacity to meet current and future demand, enhance reliability, and strengthen the power network,” said Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira during an inspection tour to assess the final stages of the Garissa Substation transformer uprating project

The facility operated with two 7.5 MVA transformers, but power demand on the 132/11 kV unit had recently begun trending toward its maximum rated capacity.

To relieve these immediate constraints, KETRACO replaced the strained 7.5 MVA unit with a new 23 MVA transformer of the same voltage ratio.

This provides the substation with substantial headroom to absorb both present electrical loads and projected demand growth in the Garissa supply area.

“This project marks a significant milestone and will facilitate the energization of Dadaab through the 33 kV feeder, officially connecting the area to the national grid, expanding reliable electricity access, and strengthening power supply infrastructure in the region,” added PS Wachira.

The newly created capacity margin allows engineers to energize a 33 kV feeder line, officially bringing Dadaab onto the national grid for the first time.