KenGen supplies 57% of Kenya’s power as demand surges

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) provided over 57 per cent of Kenya's daily electricity generation to meet the surging demand for power, according to the latest reports by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). 

KenGen, in a statement released on Friday, stated that its geothermal plants generated 13,678 megawatt-hours while its hydropower stations delivered 10,915 MWh of the national output. 

In particular, Kiambere produced 2,908 MWh while other hydros such as Gitaru, Kamburu and Masinga supported system operations to contribute to the overall stabilisation of the cost of electricity in the country. 

“We are committed to supplying steady and reliable baseload power to light our homes and drive Kenya’s industrialisation. This is why in our 10-year G2G strategy, we are working to deliver 1,500MW of electricity all from renewable sources including geothermal, hydro, wind and solar," Eng. Peter Njenga, KenGen’s Managing Director and CEO, said.  

KenGen noted that the geothermal power supply proved essential for baseload support, aligning with the government's strategy to reduce reliance on expensive thermal imports by enhancing renewable generation. 

“While the total energy demand for the day stood at 42,943.11MWh, including thermal sources, wind, and interconnectors with Uganda and Ethiopia supplemented generation, we are glad to note that it was KenGen’s steady delivery from indigenous resources that ensured grid stability,” Eng. Njenga added.

The company also highlighted the need for urgent infrastructure reinforcement to keep up with the growing demand of power from the public. 

Currently, KenGen has an installed generation capacity of 1,786 MW, of which over 93 per cent is drawn from renewable sources, namely Hydro (826 MW), Geothermal (754MW), and Wind (25.5 MW).