During a visit to the Menengai geothermal field in Kenya, Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir provided some updates on the status of the geothermal power plant being built by Sosian Energy. According to Chirchir, Sosian Energy is targeting commercial operations by the of June 2023 but that they were ahead of schedule and may start operations by next month.
Sosian Energy, thru Sosian Menengai Geothermal Power Ltd. (SMGPL), is one of three Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that were awarded rights to build and operate geothermal power plants in Menengai, Kenya. State-owned Geothermal Development Company is in charge of drilling the wells, building the steam pipeline, and selling the steam to the three companies.
Each IPP is expected to build a 35-MW geothermal power plant in Menengai. Initial reports indicated that the Sosian power plant was expected to start operations by December 2022, but the recent update indicates that the power plant should start delivery of the 35-MW capacity by the end of June 2023.
Another of the three developers, Globeleq, is at the final stages of documentation in preparation for the start of construction of their geothermal power plant. In late 2022, Globeleq was able to secure funding for the project from the African Development Bank, the Eastern and Southern Africa Trade and Development Bank, and Finnfund.
