Energy CS Charles Keter has commissioned KETRACO’s 220kV Athi River – Embakasi underground cable that passes Nairobi National Park.
The seven Kilometre underground cable manufactured by LS Cables of Korea is the first 220kV underground cable in the country.
The commissioning will offer an alternative power route and additional capacity to Nairobi from Olkaria thus greatly improving the reliability and availability of power in the city.
Speaking during the function, Keter emphasized the importance of the line that includes achieving grid stability and reliability, therefore, creating an attractive climate for investors in the region thus spurring growth and employment in line with the government’s Big Four Agenda.
“The line will provide an alternative means of power supply to Nairobi and its surroundings as well as reduce the cost of power through reduction of transmission losses”, he said in Embakasi.
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KETRACO Chairman, James Rege, who accompanied the C.S. said the completion, testing and energization of the underground cable was a landmark for KETRACO and the power industry in the region.
“Although the project has faced numerous challenges including multiple vandalism incidents, we are glad the first such cable in the region is now complete and for the first time a physical ring around Nairobi metropolis is a reality”, Rege said.
He said an underground cable that runs a total of 7Km out of the 100km 220kV ring was necessary because it falls within the National park as well as in the flight path area.
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“It was also necessary to preserve the National Park’s aesthetics,” he added.
Rege said that the biggest challenge that the project has faced is vandalism.
The section has suffered from at least eight incidents of vandalism in the last four years causing unnecessary delays and escalated costs.
Other challenges included the recent flooding and the extra care needed to minimize human-animal interaction.
“The project will enhance power reliability in Nairobi especially when our power distribution partner, KPLC complete their 220/60 kV line from Embakasi sub-station to the CBD and other areas around the city”, FCPA Fernandes Barasa, KETRACO’s Managing Director added.
The underground cable will act as a bridge through which two major projects (Mombasa-Nairobi and Suswa-Isinya) get access to Nairobi City and connect the biggest cities in Kenya with Ol Karia geothermal fields.