KenGen urges Kenyans to lease land to wind energy investors
KenGen managing director Albert Mugo. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
KenGen MD Albert Mugo moves to reassure public amid failure of a Sh15 billion wind energy project to take off, putting billions of public funds at stake.
The controversial Kinangop Wind Park project flopped after it was politicised by locals who refused to cede land claiming wind turbines would impact their lives negatively.
Listed power producer KenGen has moved to reassure the public that wind energy is safe and urged Kenyans to lease their parcels of land to investors for power generation.
Speaking when he led 300 shareholders on a tour of the 25.5 MW Ngong Wind Park this week, KenGen managing director Albert Mugo said wind turbine installations had no known adverse effect on humans, animals or vegetation.
“Foreign Development Financial Institutions have pledged support for the planned Meru 80 MW wind Park and we shall exhaustively engage the people to ensure they benefit from the project as the wind turbines will be erected within their farms,” he said.
He told the visiting shareholders that KenGen had also received funding from the Belgium government to develop a 10MW wind power facility in Ngong where each of the five turbines will have capacity to generate 2MW.
Refused to cede land
Mr Mugo's comments come after the controversial Kinangop Wind Park project which flopped after it was politicised by locals who claimed the wind turbines would impact their lives negatively.
The Virgin Islands-registered firm that was to carry out the project has since been sued by Attorney General Githu Muigai to stop it from selling the turbines and other equipment that was to be used in the plant.
Residents of Magumu in Kinangop during protests on the Naivasha-Nairobi highway on Monday February 23, 2015. FILE PHOTO | RAPHAEL NJOROGE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
KenGen chairman Joshua Choge said KenGen, which recently raised Sh26.4 billion in a rights issue, was carrying out feasibility studies for a planned solar farm development in Gitaru mid-next year.
The NSE-listed energy firm says a portion of the proceeds will also be used to develop the Ol Karia 1 Unit 6 and Ol Karia 6 geothermal sources.
“We produce 2,460MW against Kenya’s peak demand of 1,640MW and our goal is to ensure Kenyans and their industries always enjoy reliable power. Independent Power Producers are also working on wind parks and solar energy plants at various sites and this shall help boost our green energy capacity,” said Mr Choge.
The solar farm will be developed within Gitaru’s Seven Forks Hydropower site, with Mr Mugo saying KenGen is awaiting completion of environmental and social impact studies before embarking on the project.
The planned development has received financial support from the US Trade Development Agency (USTDA).
KenGen earned Sh2 billion last year from leasing drilling rigs to the Geothermal Development Company (GDC).
The power producer has expressed optimism that its revenue streams will increase as it fully exploits existing consultancy and equipment needs for Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
