Construction of the 520km overhead electricity transmission line from Lamu on Kenya’s Coast to Nairobi is expected to cost about $3.5 million.

Building of the Lamu-Nairobi East transmission line is expected to start this year subject to the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) granting approval and the African Development Bank (AfDB) finalising the funds deal.

The 400 kilovolt (kV) facility of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company will transfer 1,000MW to Nairobi from the Lamu coal power plant, to be built by a consortium of firms.

The consortium, led by Kenya’s Centum Investment and Gulf Energy, was awarded the contract to build the Lamu power plant, which will initially use coal imported from South Africa. China’s Sichuan Electric Power Design and Consulting Company Ltd, Sichuan Power Construction Company and China Huadian Corporation Power Operation Company are also part of the consortium.

Reliable power

The Draft Energy Policy of 2014 recognises coal as a source of reliable and competitively priced electricity. The policy sets out to exploit coal to provide 1,900MW of electricity by 2016 and 4,500MW by 2030.

“The procurement of various goods and services and contracting of the construction firm and other consultants will begin after approval by Nema’s environmental and social impact assessment study,’’ said African Nature & Environmental Conservation Trust’s lead ESIA expert, Bernard Kamondo.

The activities to be undertaken for the construction phase of the transmission line include erecting support structures (pylons), installing conductors and insulators and other facilities.

“The operational phase of the project will include maintenance of way leaves, inspections and repairs. The pylons will require little maintenance,” said Mr Kamondo.

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