Date set for completion of EA power project

Published on 22/09/2011
A plan to interconnect electricity grids of countries within the larger East African region is set for completion in 2014.

By Macharia Kamau

The move will open up a platform for trade in power within the region.

A meeting on Thursday in Nairobi reported completion of studies on the design of transmission lines that were undertaken by individual countries.

Construction works on the lines is scheduled to commence next year and completed in 2014.

The transmission line will connect five countries on the Nile Equatorial Lakes countries — Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo —and it is an initiative of the Nile Basin Initiative.

For Kenya, the line will start at Lessos in North Rift and run to Tororo in Uganda and onward to Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.

Connection lines

The line will also connect with other existing and planned electricity transmission infrastructure in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

The project has been projected to cost $363 million (Sh33 billion).

Fred Mwango, chairman Nile Equatorial Transmission Advisory Committee, said the power transmission lines would open up trade in electricity, with countries that are producing more being able to export excess capacity to neighbouring countries.

"Once constructed, the seven countries in East Africa will have their electricity grids interconnected and will form the backbone for future power trade. We expect that by 2015, we will have a regional power interconnected grid," he said.

He spoke at a meeting to evaluate progress of the project in Nairobi on Thursday.

Energy PS Patrick Nyoike said the transmission lines would enhance supply power in the region and help some of the countries bridge deficit between their installed power generation capacity and demand.

"Lack of power is a common challenge in all our five countries. We have numerous occurrences of load shedding because existing supply cannot satisfy demand," he said.

"These power grid interconnections will provide links between our electricity transmission systems and allow any two adjoining countries to share energy resources," he said.

Other than the Lesos-Tororo line that Kenya is putting up, it is also constructing a 600-kilometre line to Moyale, which is part of a 1,100 kilometre transmission line it is jointly constructing with Ethiopia.

The line is expected to see Kenya import power from Ethiopia and even redistribute further south.

Fichtner, a German engineering consultancy firm, was earlier this year given a tender to undertake the study on design. Construction works are expected begin in April 2012 and will be completed in March 2014.

"Ethiopia has huge potential in hydro power and is currently investing in. Once the transmission line is in place, it will help us cope with high demand for power," said Joel Kiilu managing director Kenya Electricity transmission Company (KETRACO).

"The line will enable other countries that are further south like Tanzania, Zambia and DR Congo tap into Ethiopian power whenever their power generation does not meet local demand."

Ethiopia potential in hydropower is estimated at 45 000 megawatts. It is currently constructing two dams expected to generate 2 150 MW when completed in 2014.

Courtesy of www.standardmedia.co.ke