Lake Turkana Wind Power farm to commission new turbines by March

Kenya’s quest to harvest cheap power from wind is taking shape as Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd is set to commission turbines for the 310-megawatt plant by March.

The firm targets to inject the first 90 MW of wind power into the national grid by September.

Electricity from the Marsabit-based wind farm will cost Sh8.6 per unit (8.5 US cents) or half that from diesel generators.

The full 310-megawatt capacity of the power-generation project, to be delivered by 365 wind turbines, is expected to be in place by July 2017.

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Aldwych International is the single largest investor in the Sh76 billion wind venture with a 30.1 per cent stake.

The farm sits on 40,000 acres of land in an area that receives steady winds throughout the year.