Kenya's Olkaria I geothermal power plant, commissioned in the 1980s as Africa's first geothermal power station, has undergone a rehabilitation project undertaken by SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Power Construction Corporation of China. The project aimed to address the challenges faced by the plant in maintaining its generating capacity and efficiency due to aging equipment. Following the upgrade, the plant's total installed capacity has increased from 45 megawatts (MW) to 63 MW.
Located along the Great Rift Valley, Kenya has substantial geothermal potential, with geothermal power accounting for around 40 percent of national electricity generation, making it the country's leading source of electricity. The Kenya National Energy Compact 2025-2030 aims to increase the country's installed geothermal capacity to 1,681 MW by 2030 and achieve 100 percent clean electricity generation. The upgrade of Olkaria I is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
The rehabilitation project, which began in August 2023, involved upgrading all three generating units within the constraints of the decades-old facility. Engineers had to ensure that new equipment was compatible with existing systems while coordinating mechanical and electrical components within the plant's original layout. The team also redesigned the steam-field pipeline layout based on steam parameters and optimized several components.
According to Zhang Yang, deputy project manager of the rehabilitation project, upgrading an existing plant can be more challenging than building a new one. The project required finding solutions within the space and layout already available. The team installed Chinese-made equipment, including condensers, circulating water pumps, and cooling towers, to replace aging machinery.
The rehabilitation has raised the plant's installed capacity to 63 MW, equivalent to about 2 percent of Kenya's total installed electricity generation capacity. Maurice Awuor, electrical engineering manager at the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), noted that this is the only geothermal rehabilitation project in Kenya over the past three years that has been commissioned and added installed capacity to the national grid.
The project has also facilitated knowledge-sharing between Chinese engineers and their Kenyan counterparts. Perry Karuri, a Kenyan quality assurance and control engineer, worked with Chinese engineers during equipment installation and commissioning, discussing technical parameters, construction quality, and on-site challenges. The cooperation provided opportunities to develop practical skills and gain experience in operating and maintaining the upgraded equipment.
The additional capacity at the upgraded plant is expected to help Kenya meet rising electricity demand, support industrial production and manufacturing, and advance efforts to diversify its energy mix and transition towards cleaner energy. The project's success demonstrates the importance of cooperation between Chinese companies and Kenyan entities in developing the country's geothermal resources.
Key points
- The upgraded Olkaria I geothermal power plant has increased its capacity from 45MW to 63MW.
- Geothermal power accounts for around 40 percent of Kenya's national electricity generation.
- The project has facilitated knowledge-sharing between Chinese and Kenyan engineers.
