Kenya is set to increase its energy imports from Ethiopia, as the two neighbors activate a bilateral agreement on power trade.

Ethiopian and Kenya have an agreement in which the latter obtains electricity at fairly low costs. However, things could not proceed according to the deal so far due to a lack of proper infrastructure.

Now, Kenya is in the process of of completing the Eastern Electricity Highway, which the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has termed a game-changer.

As per the agreement, Ethiopia and Kenya will be able to exchange up to 400MW of electricity. The Kenyan Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) said yesterday Kenya will this year import 200MW from Ethiopia. This is part of a major initiative for Kenya to lower electricity prices by limiting its dependence on thermal power plants.

“This year [2020] will see additional 200MW from Ethiopia bilateral agreement…,” Pavel Oimeke, EPRA Director-General said in a statement.

The 500 kilovolt line that will be used to export the power from Ethiopia to Kenya originates from Wolayta Sodo in Ethiopia and terminates at Suswa in Kenya.

The total length of the transmission line is 1,125km, out of which roughly 434km is in Ethiopia and 606km in Kenya.

Both Ethiopia and Kenya have been charged with building its own bit of the line. While the Ethiopian end of the line has been up and ready, the Kenyan end has faced major delays since 2012. Among the challenges Kenya blamed for the delay have been the collapse of the initially commissioned contractor, as well as the lengthy land acquisition process for the right of way.

In its quest to bridge gaps of local power generating capacity, Kenya imports electricity from Uganda as well.

Ethiopia is the largest hydropower producer in East Africa. When its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile is completed, in 2023 according to the schedule, it will produce 6,000MW, making Ethiopia the largest power generator in Africa.

Source: The Standard (Kenya)