Geothermal Power Marks a Major Milestone With Kenya’s 35MW Plant Starting in March

Kenya- Geothermal

Kenya is poised to add a new source of clean, reliable power to its national grid this spring, as a 35-megawatt geothermal plant supported by Chinese investment prepares to begin supplying electricity in March.

Officials mentioned that the OrPower 22 facility, financed at a cost of about $92 million, is finished and will soon enter the final stages of commissioning, with grid-connection tests scheduled to begin next month. The plant will sell power to Kenya Power, the country’s primary utility, under a long-term agreement, the Energy Principal Secretary, Alex Wachira, told reporters.

OrPower 22 is one of three independent power producers building geothermal stations at the Menengai geothermal field in Nakuru County, in the Great Rift Valley. Each of the plants, including those developed by Sosian Energy and Globeleq, has a capacity of 35 megawatts, bringing the total planned capacity in Menengai to 105 megawatts.

“The connection of this plant to the national grid by March 31st will be a significant boost to our energy security,” Mr. Wachira said, describing the project as part of the government’s broader strategy to increase locally generated electricity and reduce dependence on imports.

Kenya has experienced rising demand for electricity in recent years, driven by population growth and expanding industrial activity. Last year, the country recorded six peak demand periods, with a high of more than 2,400 megawatts in December. This surge has prompted Kenya Power to supplement domestic generation with power imported from Ethiopia and Uganda to prevent shortages and rolling outages.

Geothermal power has steadily become a cornerstone of Kenya’s electricity mix. In the first 11 months of 2025, geothermal sources accounted for roughly 45% of the total electricity supplied to the grid, outpacing hydroelectric generation and other renewables.

The Menengai field, along with other major geothermal zones such as Olkaria, Paka and Silali, is central to the country’s ambitions to expand clean energy production. Kenya’s geothermal potential is thought to exceed 10,000 megawatts, but only a fraction of that capacity has so far been tapped.

Sosian Energy’s plant in Menengai began delivering power to the grid in 2023, and Globeleq’s facility is expected to come online in mid-2026. With the addition of OrPower 22’s output, geothermal energy will further cement its role as the backbone of Kenya’s electricity supply.

The new plant arrives at a pivotal moment for Kenya’s energy sector, as policymakers seek to balance the growth of renewable generation with the need for dependable baseload power and manageable costs for consumers and industry alike.