Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya to start operations next September

Kenya’s 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Power is likely to start supplying electricity to the power companies by next September.

The supply is expected to start after the transmission line linking the northern region of the country is connected to the national grid.

Originally scheduled to begin in 2011, the project was postponed as it was awaiting a 428-km high-voltage line linking the area.

Eventually, the transmission line was approved in August last year and is expected to be completed in 2016.

At its fullest capacity, the project will generate 310MW of power by July 2017, featuring 365 turbines.

Reuters cited Lake Turkana Wind Power director Carlo Van Wageningen as saying that initially the 90 MW of capacity will be delivered if the transmission line is completed.

The project is located on 40,000 acres of land in Lake Turkana area that receives steady winds throughout the year.

Van Wageningen added: "If we used the same technology, we could have 1,000 MW.

"This corridor is constantly affected by winds. It is very predictable."

The company is expecting to sell power in lower prices to Kenya Power Company and has signed a 20-year deal to sell electricity at €7.52 cents per kilowatt/hour (kWh), which is much less than what its European counterparts sell power .