The Kenya energy Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) has announced that Kenya intends to increase its imports of energy from Ethiopia in the upcoming weeks in order to fulfill its demand from Tanzania.
The Suswa Substation of Ketraco, which is a converter, will assist in the plan, which is a joint venture between Ketraco and Ethiopia Electric Power Company (EEP).
Enabling cross-border power transfers between Ethiopia and Kenya, the sub-station is the largest switchyard in the region, serving as a power hub where power from various sources converge.
Kenya intends to have a 100MW import capacity from Ethiopia via Kenya in the coming weeks, according to John Mativo, managing director of Ketraco Tanzania.
“The main goals of this project are to supply dependable and reasonably priced energy from a regional basis and to aid in the integration of the electricity markets of the East African Power Pool by connecting the power systems of the two countries,” stated John Mativo, managing director of Ketraco.
Through the 400Kv Isinya Substation, the sub-station will also make cross-border power transfer with Tanzania easier.
He went on to say that Ethiopia would profit financially from the initiative by exporting electricity to Kenya and other nearby nations.
When President William Ruto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, and Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir visited the converter Suswa substation in Narok County for inspection, Mativo provided the information.
A 500 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line will be used in the project to move 2000MW of electricity from Wolayita Sodo, Ethiopia, to Suswa, Kenya.
The transmission lines are roughly 1045 km long overall, of which 433 km are in Ethiopia and 612 km are in Kenya.
Several organizations provided grants and loans to Ketraco and Ethiopia Electric Power Company (EEP) to support their project.
The electrical distributor estimates that the project cost Sh75.3 billion.
The African Development Bank donated Sh11 billion, the World Bank Sh55 billion, the Agence Francaise de Development Sh9 billion, and the Kenyan government Sh8.5 billion of this total.
Following the project’s completion in January 2022, power supply volume has increased at a lower tariff, energy supply costs in Kenya have decreased by over 90,000,000 on average for bulk purchases, and an additional 9,000,000 customers have benefited directly.
According to the agreed Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a 200MW capacity, Kenya now imports 3990 MWh per day from Ethiopia. By the end of 2026, 400MW of capacity is anticipated.
By decreasing pollutants and increasing resistance to climate change, the initiative will also make significant clean energy resources in the region accessible, enhancing environmental resilience.
Energy sources for Olkaria 1AU 140 MW, Olkaria IV 140 MW, Olkaria II 105 MW, and Lake Turkana Wind 310 MW are used to power the Suswa sub-station Ethiopia 200MW (hydro), (wind).
