Kenya Launches Biggest Wind Farm in Africa

After a decade in the making Kenya has launched the biggest wind power plant on the continent, Lake Turkana Wind Power in Loiyangalani area.

Despite being subject to various delays and costing a whopping US$680 million the 365-turbine wind farm is expected to provide a fifth of the country’s energy needs, generating 310 megawatts of renewable power. It was connected to the national grid in September last year via a 438 kilometre, 400 kilovolts transmission line. 

According to the executive director of the Lake Turkana Power Project Rizwan Fazal the project has already delivered a saving to customers of $80 million in fuel charges. More power is expected to be made available at a lower tariff to Kenya Power shortly.

The Government of Kenya has previously committed to generating 100 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The project is also pat of Kenya’s Vision 2030 program.