KenGen’s olkaria geothermal energy plant has been non-operational for quite some time, a Twitter user has claimed.
“THERE IS SOMETHING HAPPENING IN THE POWER SECTOR THAT SHOULD WORRY YOU. Something very troubling is happening in the power sector. For the last two months, Olkaria 1 Unit 4 & 5 hasn’t been producing any power”, Ephraim Njenga said.
He wondered if there was a shutdown for maintenance or other more sinister to it.
Olkaria’s contribution of geothermal power to the grid has reduced from 46% in January 2021 to 31% in January 2022. During the same period, the contribution of thermal (diesel) power to the grid has increased from 7% to 20%.
‘To add to the mystery, despite the rising use of thermal power EPRA has retained the fuel cost charge unchanged for the last three months. This is going to exert a heavy burden on Kenya Power and KenGen’, he futher wrote.
Kenyan depends on Geothermal power produced by KenGen to run, when it is not available, as the case now, the country reverts to expensive thermal power.
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Ephraim further says, ‘The Olkaria 1 Unit 4 & 5 has a capacity of 150 MW. Although this is just 5% of the installed capacity, it should be remembered that geothermal power is used for both peak load and baseload demand management. When it is not available, we have to revert to expensive thermal power.The construction of the 83 MW Olkaria 1 Unit 6 was to end last year. KenGen keeps giving promises about its connection to the grid. We are yet to get a definitive answer from KenGen on when this will happen. Last year, a unit of geothermal power was sold to Kenya Power at an average of KShs 7.19, while a unit of thermal was sold at KShs 32.97. These kind of cost disparities are so huge that they provide incentive for people to engage in misconduct’.
KenGen should clear the air over the above allegations.
It's deliberate.
They need to justify Private Power Producers supplying the grid using fuel powered generators.
Once we had conflict of interest with political leaders and their relathieves invested in energy companies…
— Wheelpower 🚶🚲 🚌 🚄 (@shecyclesnbi) March 30, 2022
