Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) PLC has clinched a contract to drill three geothermal wells in Djibouti. The company signed a Ksh 709,822, 630 (USD 6,452,933) contracts with Office Djiboutien De Development De lenergie Geothermique (Djiboutian Office of Geothermal Energy Development) (ODDEG). African nations shared the common aspiration of delivering electricity to their people, which, he said, provided an opportunity to work together to meet the continent’s energy needs. “The biggest challenge has remained access (to electricity) in remote areas, and in Sub-Saharan Africa with 573 million people not having access to this important commodity. While highlighting Kenya’s progress in achieving universal electricity access, he indicated that the country’s National Electrification Strategy (KNES) launched in 2018 had played an important role in helping the nation achieve electrification in an economically viable manner.
Kenya’s journey towards harnessing geothermal energy, he added, started in the 1950s and assured Djibouti of support in enabling it to realize its geothermal potential. KenGen, which has embarked on a diversification strategy, leverages its expertise in geothermal energy by offering commercial drilling services, geothermal consulting and other energy-related services across Africa. This is the third geothermal drilling contract that KenGen has won in Africa. In October 2019, the company secured a Ksh 5.8 billion contract to drill 12 geothermal wells in Ethiopia. The contract with an independent power producer includes installing a water supply system and equipment. In February 2019, KenGen won yet another contract for consultancy services and drilling geothermal wells. The contract is worth USD 76,801,344 (about Kshs 7.6 billion). It has also developed partnerships with countries such as Ethiopia and Rwanda in renewable energy development. KenGen has invested in experts with considerable experience in geothermal exploration and drilling and will build the capacities of teams from Djibouti who will be working on the project. Kenya is Africa’s number one geothermal energy producer and among the top 10 in the world. KenGen has a geothermal installed capacity of 706 MW and is the leading geothermal power producer on the continent.