KenGen has reported a bigger generation of cheaper hydropower on filled-up dams, promising lower electricity bills for consumers.
KenGen Managing Director Peter Njenga said that dams in the Seven Forks Scheme have filled to the highest level in recent times. This has led to a significant increase in the output of hydropower, which is the cheapest source of electricity in Kenya, said the firm.
“We are happy to report that we are receiving very good inflows from the Mount Kenya and Aberdares catchment areas which has led to high water levels at our dams,” said Mr Njenga said in a statement.
He added, “This will see Kenyans reap the full benefit of cheaper electricity.” The firm said that Masinga Dam, which is the country’s largest dam, has filled up due to a high influx of water from the Mt Kenya region.
It said the five dams in the Seven Forks cascade – namely Masinga, Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma, and Kiambere – have filled up sufficiently, enabling more hydropower to be generated. KenGen further moved to alleviate any fears over possible flooding due to the high water levels in the dams.
“Despite getting close to the maximum water levels at the Masinga Dam which is our biggest, we have not reached spilling level thanks to a robust water management program being implemented by our engineers,” said Mr Njenga. “We however remain vigilant and will issue an alert should we envision a potential water overflow from the large dams,” he added.
Hydropower is the cheapest source of electricity in Kenya and beats other sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and thermal. Kenya started to receive heavy El Nino rains in October, which have enabled the country’s water dams to fill up.
This has reversed the severe drought that hit a crescendo in February last year, emptying the dams and leading to fears of power rationing. With bumper hydropower generation, it means that the country will not need to generate huge amounts of more expensive electricity, especially thermal power, which is the most expensive of all sources as it utilizes fuel.
Kenya now also has the added assurance of power from Ethiopia, where the country started importing 200MW from Ethiopia in January 2023 to help plug the local generation deficit. Cheaper power will be a welcome move for millions of Kenyans who are currently struggling under the weight of some of the most expensive power prices on record.
