Lake Turkana wind project in the north of Kenya which has been controversial for losing money due to speed of transmission line development is finally live and generating electricity. This announcement was made on the 14th of January 2019 by the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project Director Rizwan Fazal but it was connected to the national grid on October 2018.
The project whose maximum production capacity is 310 megawatts has generated a high of 307 megawatts, this being nearly 100 percent of the expected output. The project has previously been shrouded with controversy since the wind farm whose value is Kshs 72 billion was lying idle as it awaits completion of the transmission line.
This meant that according to the agreements between the government and the project financiers, delays meant that the government incurred costs for the idle capacity before the project was active. A total cost of 127 million Euros (Kshs 14.6 billion) is owed to the Lake Turkana Wind Project because of delays on the side of the Kenya government as a result of transmission line wayleaves. The project was paid 46 million euros (Kshs. 5.3 billion) while the balance of 81 million euros (Kshs 9.36 billion) would be spread over a six year period.
The project will thus proceed to produce this renewable energy to the national grid, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal number 7 to provide affordable and clean energy to keep the country in the path of positive world transformation.
