Pressure on Coastal power network to ease as President Ruto commissions Mariakani sub-station

The Mariakani Substation is the most strategic power substation in the Coast region and forms a critical gateway linking the Coast to Nairobi through the national transmission grid. The project significantly strengthens electricity transmission capacity while advancing the Government’s Vision 2030 agenda of achieving 100 percent renewable energy.

For decades, the Coast region has heavily relied on expensive thermal generation to meet its electricity demand due to limited renewable energy generation within the region.

Following the energization of the Mariakani Substation and associated transmission infrastructure in December 2025, thermal power generation at the Coast has reduced drastically from 100MW to 35MW representing a 65 percent reduction in reliance on fossil-fuel based energy.

Originally developed as a 220kV facility, the Mariakani Substation has now been upgraded to 400kV, greatly improving power quality, reliability and transmission efficiency across the Coast region, while further enabling the region to draw more power from Olkaria and Suswa Substation, a major national and regional switching center.

The enhanced capacity is expected to support rapid industrialization, investment growth and the expansion of Kenya’s Blue Economy initiatives.

Speaking at an event in Kilifi County, the Head of State said the country will no longer rely on borrowed funds to construct transmission lines, but will instead turn to public-private partnerships and the national infrastructure bond to finance the projects.

The substation forms part of the Nairobi–Mombasa Transmission Line designed to carry more than 1,000MW of electricity between the two regions while easing pressure on the Coast’s power network.

The 400/220kV Mariakani Substation is also a strategic component in strengthening Kenya’s national transmission system and the broader East African regional interconnected power network. Reinforcing the national grid is critical in maximizing the operational benefits of the 500kV Ethiopia–Kenya HVDC Interconnector and the 400kV Kenya–Tanzania Interconnector.  

“The Mariakani transmission infrastructure has significantly reduced the Coast region’s reliance on expensive diesel-powered electricity generation by enabling efficient transfer of power between Nairobi and Mombasa through the 400kV Mariakani–Isinya double circuit transmission line. The project has also improved voltage stability and enhanced overall power quality across the region, resulting in a more reliable and efficient electricity supply for homes, businesses and industries,” Said Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias, KETRACO Ag. Managing Director.

Financing for the Mariakani Substation was provided through a partnership between the Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank (AfDB) at a total project cost of KES 4 billion.

China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd served as the project contractor under the supervision of KETRACO engineers.

The commissioning of the fully energized Mariakani Substation further cements Kenya’s position as a regional leader in clean energy transition, regional power integration and modern electricity transmission infrastructure.