The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company advertised tenders for contractors interested in installing substations in Suswa, Kenya and Wolayita Sodo in Ethiopia as part of the effort to connect the national grids of both countries.The next step in this plan is expected to be to lay high voltage lines connecting the Kenya National Grid and that of Ethiopia.
The plan was designed to allow Kenya to import power to meet a supply deficit created by low domestic generation ability and an ever increasing demand. Ethiopia on the other hand is in the process of constructing a range of hydro electric dams including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, expected to generate 6,000 in a bid to import power regionally.
The interconnect project is being funded by the International Development Association of the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank.
The Kenya-Ethiopia interconnector will have a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, although the initial deal between the two countries stipulates the import of 400 mega watts.It is to be remembered that the African Development Bank has approved the provision of 348 million US dollar loans for the financing of the Ethio-Kenya power line project, the second phase of the 1.26 billion project dollar project to boost cross-border power supply in the region, last September. The World Bank has previously approved 684 million US dollar the first phase of the funding.
Source: Capital
