Name of the Project
Kipeto Wind Farm.

Location
About 50 km south of Nairobi, in Kipeto, Kenya.

Project Owner/s
Kipeto Energy (KEP).

Project Description
Kipeto is Kenya’s second-biggest wind power project.

The wind farm comprises 60 wind turbine generators producing 102 MW.

It is expected that the project will generate 9 000 GWh of clean energy over its 20-year operational lifetime, the equivalent of removing 2.7-million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere.

Potential Job Creation
More than 800 jobs were created during the construction phase of the project and an additional 60 permanent jobs are expected during the operational phase.

About 200 families are expected to benefit directly from the turbine revenue located on their land, with the company having established a community trust to oversee further distribution of profits to the wider local area.

Capital Expenditure
$300-million.

The project is funded by equity from Actis-backed BioTherm Energy (88%) and Kenyan company Craftskills (12%), alongside senior debt from development finance institution the US International Development Finance Corporation.

Planned Start/End Date
The Kipeto project reached financial close in December 2018, marking the beginning of its two-year construction phase.

Latest Developments
KEP has connected the Kipeto wind farm to the national grid and will start generating power shortly.

KEP has connected a 17-km-long 220 kV high-voltage transmission line, linking the facility to the national grid at the Isinya substation, and signalling the start of the go-live process.

The project’s 60 GE 1.7-103 wind turbines will be switched on in stages as part of a gradual ramp-up process, with all commercial tests due to be concluded within the next few months.

The final connection and energisation will result in the transmission line and associated equipment being handed over to KPLC for future care and operation.

KEP leased and secured more than 60 plots within the project area for the wind turbine footprint and the transmission line through voluntary participation of landowners, and has undertaken several local initiatives.

To ensure that international environmental standards were followed, KEP worked with specialist consultants during the planning and development stages of the project to undertake a series of environmental assessments and impact studies.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
General Electric (wind turbines).

Contact Details for Project Information
Kipeto Energy, email info@kipetoenergy.co.ke.