Africa’s biggest wind power project at Lake Turkana in northwest Kenya has commenced in a ceremony attended by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The project is expected to cost the East African country some $700 million and is backed by a large number of investors from around the world.
“The project promises to raise 310 megawatts of electricity upon completion,” Kenyatta told investors at the site of the wind power project. “It represents 14% of current installed capacity and translates into enough energy to meet a big portion of our domestic consumption,” he was quoted by World Bulletin as saying.
Mugo Kibati, chairman of the Lake Turkana wind project, said the project will employ 1,700 locals from the region.
In February 2015, Kenya added 280 megawatts of power to the national grid when it unveiled one of the world’s biggest geothermal power plants. The power plant lowered the price of electricity in the East African country.
“The benefits of expanded electric power production have radiated to every part of the country. 17,551 primary schools all over Kenya have been connected to electricity while work is in progress for the remaining 3,617 primary schools,” Kenyatta said at the opening ceremony, noting that it represented 83% of all Kenyan schools connected to power.
