Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has today energized the 220/66kV Kimuka Substation transmission line.
This development means that residents from Kimuka and its environs will benefit from stable and reliable electricity supply. The Kimuka energization will further assist in de-loading the existing 220kV Suswa-North lines and 220/66kV transformers at Nairobi North Substation by transferring load (~80MW) from Nairobi North substation to Kimuka station.
This will help reduce the risk of system instability and improve security of evacuation of power from green sources (geothermal, wind and hydro imports) from Suswa to Nairobi.
“This project supports Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by increasing access to affordable power and improvement of system efficiency and reliability for existing and proposed industrial and domestic loads in Magadi and Ngong, Karen and its environs hence improve social economic benefits of those areas.” Said KETRACO MD Eng. Dr. John Mativo.
The Kimuka substation line is part of the Nairobi Ring and Associated substations project which once completed will offer an alternative supply path for power into the Nairobi Metropolitan region. It will additionally remove the load from the existing overloaded substations.
SGR Electrification
Konza Technopolis and electrified SGR will also benefit from reliable power from multiple sources once the project is completed.
In their report titled “Kenya Economic Update, June 2023,” the World Bank highlights the significant environmental and economic benefits of adopting low-carbon logistics in Kenya’s freight transportation sector. By embracing this transformation, Kenya can achieve several critical outcomes:
- Reduced Carbon Emissions: Transitioning from diesel-powered locomotives to electric ones could save over 20,200 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions for every one million tonnes of freight transported via the SGR. This substantial reduction in the country’s carbon footprint aligns with Kenya’s commitment to maintaining a low-carbon comparative advantage.
- Greener Environment: Electrifying the SGR would have a transformative impact, substantially lowering CO2 emissions compared to road transport. The World Bank report suggests that electrifying the SGR, instead of relying on diesel trains, could cut emissions in the sub-sector by nearly half. The complete electrification of the SGR holds the potential for annual emissions savings exceeding 53,000 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalents, with most of the savings derived from the freight rail sector.
- Railway Sector Development: The SGR, connecting the bustling port of Mombasa with inland container depots, has become a vital artery for transporting millions of tonnes of freight. However, the lack of feeder lines for export and industrial zones necessitates using trucks for last-mile delivery. Increasing the share of freight transported via the SGR would contribute to a greener environment and align with the further development of Kenya’s railway sector.
- Private Sector Investment: The report emphasizes the necessity of opening rail infrastructure access, including the SGR and Meter Gauge Railway (MGR), to encourage private sector investment and enhance rail operations’ efficiency. Pricing and access terms must be carefully developed and de-risked to achieve this.
