02/04/2010
Kenya - Commercial deal signed for wind-energy project
Construction on a $750-million wind power project in Kenya could begin soon, following the signing of a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA)
between the developer of the project,
Lake Turkana Wind Power Consortium (LTWP), and Kenya Power & Lighting Company (KPLC).
“We have signed a 20-year PPA with KPLC. “This will now enable us to start construction of the wind power plant to help meet Kenya’s increasing power needs,” says LTWP MD Chris Staubo.
When completed, the 300-MW plant, in northern Kenya, will be the biggest wind farm in Africa.
The signing of the agreement was the culmination of months of negotiations after financiers raised concerns about KPLC’s ability to issue irrevocable letters of credit owing to its shaky cash flow.
The wind farm will consist of 367 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kW.
The wind farm is expected to start production in June 2011 and reach full production of 300 MW by July 2012.
When completed, the plant will add about 30% to Kenya’s installed generation capacity. Currently, the East African nation has an installed capacity of 1 065 MW.
Kenya has embarked on massive investments in the energy sector to increase the installed capacity to 3 000 MW by 2013.
The planned wind farm will be the third in Kenya, after the Ngong I and II wind power plants, which are owned by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company and have a combined capacity of 15 MW.
For more information please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net
“We have signed a 20-year PPA with KPLC. “This will now enable us to start construction of the wind power plant to help meet Kenya’s increasing power needs,” says LTWP MD Chris Staubo.
When completed, the 300-MW plant, in northern Kenya, will be the biggest wind farm in Africa.
The signing of the agreement was the culmination of months of negotiations after financiers raised concerns about KPLC’s ability to issue irrevocable letters of credit owing to its shaky cash flow.
The wind farm will consist of 367 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kW.
The wind farm is expected to start production in June 2011 and reach full production of 300 MW by July 2012.
When completed, the plant will add about 30% to Kenya’s installed generation capacity. Currently, the East African nation has an installed capacity of 1 065 MW.
Kenya has embarked on massive investments in the energy sector to increase the installed capacity to 3 000 MW by 2013.
The planned wind farm will be the third in Kenya, after the Ngong I and II wind power plants, which are owned by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company and have a combined capacity of 15 MW.
For more information please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net
- Source:
- Online Editorial www.windfair.net
- Author:
- Trevor Sievert, Online Editorial Journalist
- Email:
- ts@windfair.net
- Link:
- www.windfair.net/...
- Keywords:
- wind energy, wind power, renewable energy, offshore, onshore, wind turbine, rotorblade