KenGen searching for a partner in140MW project

East and Central Africa biggest geothermal electricity generating firm KenGen has extended their search for a joint venture (JV) partner for a the new 140MW Olkaria geothermal plant. The search was extended to Friday February 21, 2020. The new project was launched pursuant to the company expecting to raise its stock of green energy. KenGen already generates 1,796.4 megawatt (MW) of electricity annually. Nonetheless, this generated electricity only feeds 75 percent of the Kenya’s total electrical energy need. It is against this background that KenGen announced plans to increase its electric energy generation capacity In 2019 November, KenGen announced that it was looking to enter a JV with a partner. The successful bidder among applicants would enter into a joint venture with KenGen and create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to finance and develop a 140MW geothermal plant in Olkaria, Naivasha. The successful partner would also have a majority 75 percent stake. The deadline for the tender lapsed albeit KenGen announced plans to open the tender on Friday this week. “KenGen has extended its tender/ request for qualifications of bidders for the financing, design, supply, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the 140MW Olkaria PPP geothermal power project at Olkaria, Kenya on a Build, Own, Operate, Transfer (BOOT) basis,” said the firm in a tender notice. “KenGen has drilled and tested all production wells required for the project and will be responsible for the operation, maintenance, and management of steam supply to the project,” said KenGen.