Kenya Electricity Generating Company

Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC[2] abbreviated to KenGen, is a government enterprise in the Republic of Kenya charged with the production of electricity for the country. KenGen is the largest electric power producer in Kenya, generating over 60%[1] of the electricity consumed in the country.

Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC
KenGen PLC
Company typePublic Liability Company
KN: KEGN
IndustryElectric power
Founded1 February 1954; 70 years ago (1954-02-01)
FounderGovernment of Kenya
Headquarters,
Area served
Kenya
Key people
Julius Migos Ogamba, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Eng. Peter Njenga,
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
RevenueKSh.44.110 billion/= (30 June 2020)
KSh.18.377 billion/= (30 June 2020)
Total assetsKSh.412.927 billion/= (30 June 2020)
Total equityKSh.211.318/= (30 June 2020)
OwnerGovernment of Kenya
Number of employees
2,600 (17 November 2023)[1]
Websitehttp://www.kengen.co.ke/

Overview

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KenGen relies on various sources to generate electricity, ranging from hydropower, geothermal, thermal and wind, with hydropower being the leading source of electricity.

The company owns 30 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 825.69 MW, four thermal power plants generating 256 MW, seven geothermal power plants with a generating capacity of 713.13 MW and one Wind power plant at Ngong producing 26 MW, for a combined generating capacity of 1,817.82 MW.[3]

Presently KenGen operates five major geothermal power plants with 12 installed units, namely: Olkaria I, Olkaria II, Olkaria I unit 4 and 5, Olkaria IV, Olkaria V. 16 wellhead plants with 21 installed units.[3]

The Olkaria geothermal power stations are located in Nakuru County within the Hell's Gate National Park bordering Lake Naivasha within the Great Rift Valley.

History

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The company was founded on 1 February 1954 as the Kenya Power Company (KPC) and was commissioned to construct the transmission line between Nairobi and Tororo in Uganda. This was to transmit power generated at the Owen Falls Dam to Kenya. KPC was also tasked to develop electricity generating facilities in the country.[4]

KPC was managed by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company under a management contract. In January 1997, the management of KPC was formally separated from Kenya Power as a direct result of reforms being undertaken in the energy sector and the entire economy.[4] Subsequently, on 19 January 1998 the company changed its name from Kenya Power Company to Kenya Electricity Generating Company. The trading name KenGen PLC was also adopted at this point.[5]

In 2006, KenGen was listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange after the Government of Kenya sold 30 percent of its stake in the company through a successful initial public offering that received over 280,000 applications.[4]

Ownership

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KenGen currently has 6,594,522,339 shares. The stock of Kenya Electricity Generating Company is listed on the NSE, where it trades under the symbol: KEGN[3]

Kenya Electricity Generating Company Stock Ownership
Rank Name of Owner Percentage Ownership
1 Government of Kenya 70.00
2 Others 30.00
Total 100.00

List of power stations and installed capacity

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See also List of power stations in Kenya

Current capacity

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The current capacity of KenGen's power stations are;

Hydroelectric

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Geothermal

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Thermal

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  • Kipevu I Diesel – 60 MW[6]
  • Kipevu III Diesel – 115 MW[6]
  • Muhoroni Gas Turbine - 55 MW

Wind

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Future projects

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KenGen plans to increase it installed capacity to 721 megawatts by 2025.[citation needed]

Geothermal

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  • Olkaria I Unit 6 – 70 MW – Completion Year: 2022 [20]
  • Eburru Project – 25 MW – Completion Year: 2016[17]
  • Olkaria VI – 140 MW – Completion Year: 2016/17[21]
  • Olkaria VII – 140 MW – Completion Year: 2018[21]
  • Olkaria VIII – 140 MW – Completion Year: 2018[22]

Wind

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  • Wind Power Station: Phase II – 300 MW – Completion Year: 2020[citation needed]
  • Marsabit Wind Power Plant – 200 MW – Will Begin Construction In 2026[23]

Lists

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References

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  1. ^ a b "KenGen 2019 Annual Report" (PDF). Kenya Electricity Generating Company. 30 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Home". www.kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Who We Are | Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC". kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Kenya: enabling private-sector participation in electricity generation" (PDF). Graduate School of Business: University of Cape Town.
  5. ^ "KenGen – Kenya Electricity Generation Co". Think GeoEnergy - Geothermal Energy News. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e Anton Eberhard; Katharine Gratwick; Elvira Morella; Pedro Antmann (11 December 2016). "Independent Power Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa" (PDF). World Bank Group.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "HYDRO POWER STATIONS | KENGEN". www.kengen.co.ke. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  8. ^ Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate. "CDM: Optimisation of Kiambere Hydro Power Project". cdm.unfccc.int. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Kindaruma upgrade enhances power supply – Capital Business". Capital Business. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  10. ^ Greenwire, Michael Burnham And Nathanial Gronewold Of (10 May 2010). "Droughts Turn Out the Lights in Hydro-Dependent African Nation". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Turkwel | KENGEN". www.kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  12. ^ "PROJECT DESIGN DOCUMENT FORM FOR CDM PROJECT ACTIVITIES (F-CDM-PDD)" (PDF). CDM Executive Board. Retrieved 11 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Kengen". kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Geothermal".
  15. ^ "Kengen". kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Kenya Leaps to Top 7 Geothermal Power Producers Globally". kenyanwallstreet.co.ke, Kenya. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  17. ^ a b "KenGen bets on Eburru for cheaper geothermal power". The Star, Kenya. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  18. ^ "KenGen's Wellhead Technology | KENGEN". www.kengen.co.ke. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  19. ^ a b Kenya, Coastweek. "Coastweek – The most from the coast". www.coastweek.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  20. ^ "Press Release".
  21. ^ a b "KenGen sets ambitious 5-year 580 MW geothermal development target | Think GeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News". www.thinkgeoenergy.com. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  22. ^ Kagiri, David. "Power Africa Geothermal Road Show" (PDF). Geo-Energy.org. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  23. ^ Kubwa, M. (7 December 2023). "KenGen to Construct Multi-Billion Marsabit Wind Power Plant which is Set to be the Second Largest Wind Power Project in Kenya". Constructionreview. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
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