Construction set to commence on 55MW PV project in Kenya

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The 55MW project will stand as the largest solar plant ever developed in East and Central Africa. Image: Thomas Kohler / Flickr

The Kenyan Rural Electrification Authority’s (REA) chairman, Dr. Simon Gicharu, announced this week that the construction on a 55MW solar project in Kenya is set to begin.

The 55MW project, which will cost approximately US$116 million to develop, will stand as the largest solar plant ever developed in East and Central Africa, Gicharu told state-owned press service Kenya News Agency.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“All the bottlenecks to the Garissa solar plant, the biggest in East and Central Africa, are over and next week, we are set to approve the designs and it will take one year to complete,” Gicharu said.

According to Business Daily, the 55MW PV project will produce energy for the national grid, with the site expected to generate enough energy to light up 625,000 homes. The solar project will sit on approximately 85 hectares of land and will be comprised of 200,000 solar panels.

Read Next

November 11, 2024
Europe is forecast to add 110GW of solar PV capacity in 2025, according to Liam Coman, solar market analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Premium
July 12, 2024
Even though the solar PV market in Ecuador is currently non-existent, with only a few projects operational and mostly in the distributed generation market, it is about to take off, says José Luis García Pérez, Latin America’s CEO at Spanish developer Zelestra, formerly known as Solarpack.
June 23, 2023
Global renewables investor Actis has agreed to sell 100% of African independent power producer (IPP) BTE Renewables to French utility giant Engie and investment firm Meridiam for US$1 billion.
June 22, 2023
The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund has announced that the 40MW Kesses solar project in Kenya has started operations.
Premium
June 13, 2023
Jonathan Touriño Jacobo explores how Eastern and Southern European countries have emerged in the race as key players for the European Union to reach 740GW of solar capacity installed by 2030.
Premium
June 2, 2023
With grid availability, plenty of land and a new contracts for difference scheme that is set to go live this year, Romania is proving an increasingly attractive market for solar developers. Lena Dias Martins finds out more.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
March 18, 2025
Sydney, Australia
Upcoming Webinars
March 19, 2025
11am EST / 4pm GMT / 5pm CET
Solar Media Events
March 25, 2025
Lisbon, Portugal
Solar Media Events
March 26, 2025
Renaissance Dallas Addison Hotel, Dallas, Texas