Kenya Allots $72M for Geothermal Plant

The government of Kenya announced plans to spend approximately $72 million to drill geothermal power wells in the Menengai Crater, located north of Lake Nakuru. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) study said that the capital for the project, commissioned by Kenya Electricity Generating Company Ltd. (KenGen), will be directed for drilling of exploratory, appraisal, and production wells.

The geothermal resource area is estimated to cover 48 sq km with the geothermal energy potential to be approximately 740 mw. KenGen intends to drill and test three exploration, six appraisal, and about 27 production geothermal wells within the Caldera floor.

The power plant, to be commissioned by 2013, is the latest effort to prove availability of geothermal steam. Conservationalists fear harmful effects to the environment, but the assessment report claims all the impacts that arise from the implementation of the Menengai geothermal drilling project can be mitigated.