Meru Wind Park set for January groundbreaking

Power producer KenGen expects to break ground on the 400 megawatt Meru wind power project in January 2017.

KenGen is currently in talks with land owners as well as the Meru county government to secure the necessary land approvals.

Speaking to Citizen Digital KenGen Chief Executive Albert Mugo said land acquisition has remained a complex challenge for the company, but hopes to tender the project by September.

“When it comes to land issues it can get a bit complex because we are talking to the National Lands Commission…. there are quite a number of parties involved and also the community but our hope is we can resolve this by September,” Mr Mugo said.

Government projects have over the last three years run into headwinds especially on land acquisition, exemplified earlier in the year when the investors of the Kinangop wind project pulled out.

KenGen is also carrying out an environmental assessment of the project before commencing. Already the firm has secured funding from two financial institutions.

The German Development Bank and the French Development Agency have jointly committed 120 million euros (Sh13.4 billion) towards the first phase of the power project to generate 80 megawatts.

The state owned power producer currently operates a 25 megawatt wind farm in Ngong’. KenGen has increasingly turned to green energy projects in efforts to bring down energy costs in the country.

KenGen currently has an installed capacity of 1,617MW