Sosian Energy to generate power from Menengai geothermal field

A local independent power producing (IPP) company is set to generate 22 megawatts of electricity from the Menegai geothermal wells by next month.

Speaking during a visit to Menengai geothermal fields on Friday, Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said three companies, including Sosian Energy, Globeleq, and Or Power 22, will harness 105MW of electricity from steam generated at the wells.

Mr Chirchir said Sosian will generate 35MW of electricity and revealed that documentation for Globeleq is being finalised and the company will start operating soon.

“We are quite impressed with the developments. We have inspected what Sosian is doing and they have a commercial operation date at the end of June, but they are ahead of time and they should be able to deliver in a short while some 22 megawatts of electricity,” said the CS.

Source: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/business/article/2001469207/sosian-energy-to-generate-power-from-menengai-geothermal-field

Daniel Arap Moi-linked Sosian Energy starts supplying power to…

Sosian Energy, which is linked to the family of the late President Daniel arap Moi, has supplied 22 megawatts of power to the national grid ahead of the full commissioning of its plant, boosting Kenya’s push to fully run on renewable power.

Kigen Moi, a director at Sosian Energy, said on, Thursday, the independent power producer (IPP) started early commissioning of three of its five units this week as the firm nears completion of the 35-megawatt geothermal plant.

Sosian Energy is now the first of three IPPs tapped by the State in 2014 to build geothermal plants, each of 35 megawatts on a public-private partnership.

The other two are Ormat Technologies and Quantum Power, which has since sold its licence to Globeleq.

The new plant in Menengai, Nakuru, will boost Kenya’s bid to fully go green and phase out the expensive and dirty thermal generators.

“We started the early commissioning this week and we are already pumping 18 megawatts and by Saturday we will do 22 megawatts to the national grid,” Mr Kigen told the Business Daily.

Kenya is ramping up efforts to tap more of the vast geothermal potential in the Rift Valley in addition to sourcing wind and solar energy in a bid to fully run on clean energy.

Geothermal energy accounted for the biggest share of the electricity generated at 49.8 percent in the three months to March, followed by wind at 18 percent, hydro at 14 percent and thermal (13.7 percent).

Sosian Energy sells the electricity to Kenya Power at Sh4.9 per kilowatt-hour, lower than the Sh5.3 per kilowatt-hour from Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen). Other IPPs have priced their power as high as Sh195 per unit.

The plant whose cost is estimated at $79.15million (Sh11.07 billion at current exchange rates) is set to be completed by August, as Sosian Energy races ahead of the UK giant energy developer Globeleq and Ormat Technologies in the geothermal power generation, behind KenGen.

Construction of the plants had been delayed as the IPPs struggled to secure financing for the ventures for the costly plants.

Upon completion, the 35-Megawatt Sosian Energy plant will undergo a 30-day reliability test that will pave the way for a commercial operation date under a 25-year power supply deal to Kenya Power.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/companies/daniel-arap-moi-linked-sosian-energy-starts-supplying-power–4271636

Sosian set to be first IPP to tap geothermal…

A local Independent Power Producing (IPP) Company is set to commission 35 megawatts of electricity from the Menengai geothermal wells by July this year.

Sosian Energy, undertaking its operations in Menengai Caldera in Nakuru under a Public-Private Partnership, is expected to inject 35MW of electricity to the national grid in phases. Sosian Energy Director Kigen Moi yesterday said the first phase will see 22MW of power being injected into the national grid by the end of this month.

“We have been able to beat the deadline to deliver the project on time. This is no mean feat and is a demonstration that our local companies can deliver in terms of excellence and operating within timelines,” Kigen said while inspecting the power plant at Menengai.

The investment is part of the government’s efforts to harness geothermal energy from the Menengai crater.

Source: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/business/article/2001474768/sosian-set-to-be-first-ipp-to-tap-geothermal-and-sell-electricity