The construction of the Meru 400MW wind farm project will begin in 2019 according to the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) managing director Rebecca Miano.
Ms Miano said the company is currently making efforts to complete the compensation of landowners, a matter that has in the past delayed the project. According to her, land acquisition and financing will be done by the end of this year ahead of the commencement date.
“The land acquisition process is currently ongoing anticipating that it will be completed within 6 months. In addition to that, we expect to sign the balance of the funding with KfW [Development Bank] by December 2018 after which the procurement of the contractors will commence,” she said at the signing of Sh7 billion (60 million Euros) credit facility with French Development Agency (AFD).
The Meru Wind energy project is expected to contribute 80MW to the country’s national grid.
Project Funding
The Frankfurt development bank KfW will also offer about 60 million Euros to fund the setting up of a control centre for the Kenyan State and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO), the Nairobi Ring transmission program, and the Makindu 400/132 kV station.
The Treasury cabinet secretary Henry Rotich said the funding will help the government reach its goal for increasing electricity production.
“The program resonates with our aim of implementing sustainable development goals over the medium term for the benefit of all Kenyans,” he said.
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