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KenGen drills new geothermal wells in Kenya
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KENYA'S MAIN power producer, KenGen, has started drilling a well for its fourth geothermal plant in the Rift Valley. "An estimated potential energy of 70 megawatts will be produced by this fourth geothermal site, which will span over 80 sq km (31 sq miles)," said KenGen Managing Director, Eddy Njoroge.
"The works will involve drilling six directional appraisals wells to complement three exploration wells," Njoroge said. The project, which will cost Sh1.6 billion, will be undertaken by the Great Wall Drilling Company from China. |
The Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Zhang Ming, expressed his Government's commitment in supporting development projects in the country. Geothermal power is electricity produced by trapping steam released by hot rocks with water reservoirs deep in the earth.
Kenya currently produces 130MW of power from geothermal sources in three sites on the floor of the Rift Valley, which KenGen says has potential to produce 2,000MW of geothermal energy. Energy assistant minister, Mwangi Kiunjuri, said the government had increased funding for geothermal exploration and expected to increase geothermal output by 70MW every two
years.
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