九大地熱・火山研究報告第 11 号 (2002) 29-33 頁

GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA
Martin Mwaisakenyi Heya

ABSTRACTElectricity demand in Kenya has continued to grow steadily over the years. This has caused great pressure on
the conventional forms of energy like hydropower, which is normally affected by weather changes. In order toprovide reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly form of energy, the Ministry of Energy through thesupport of bilateral and multilateral donors has continued exploration of geothermal resources along the Kenya
Rift Valley and several prospects have been identified for further work. In addition to the 57MW produced
at Olkaria geothermal power stations, KenGen, a government company, together with Independent Power
Producers (IPPs) are expected to produce a total of 128 MW of electricity from geothermal energy by the year
2003 and to increase the total output to 576 MW by the year 2015. In order for the envisaged program tosucceed, the government will require to raise funds and also involve all other interested parties in both resource
assessment stage and development of various proven sites.
1. INTRODUCTION2. LOCATION OF GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE IN
KENYAThe Kenya Government has liberalized power
generation to encourage private sector participation.
The government established Electricity Regulatory
Board as an autonomous body to regulate the power
sector. Its functions, including tariff setting wereuntil 1998 performed by the Minister in chargeof energy. However, licenses for power generationand distribution are still granted by the Minister for
Energy upon advice by the Board. Under Geothermal
Resources Act of 1982, the Minister also grants
licenses for geothermal resources devilment. KenyaElectricity Generating Company (KenGen) is agovernment company that conducts development of
the geothermal resources after the exploration work
has been conducted by theThe eastern arm of the East African Rift transacts
Kenya in a North-South direction. The area has anumber of quaternary volcanoes on the floor of theRift Valley where most of the East African lakes arefound. Many of these lakes are salty but a few ofthem have fresh water, which also acts as recharge
to geothermal systems. The major exemption is Lake
Victoria that lies in the depression between easternand Western Rift Valley.
The quaternary volcanism has led to geothermal
manifestations such as fumaroles, steam jets, hotsprings, geysers, hot mud pools and hydrothermalrock alterations in many parts of the Kenyan RiftValley. There are however exceptions with a few
geothermal resources occurring outside the Kenya
Rift Valley. These off axis quaternary volcanoes suchas Homabay, Jombo Hills, Chogoria and Maji moto all
exhibit low enthalpy characteristics.

Geoexploration Department in the Ministry of Energy.
So far most of the prefeasibility studies have been
conducted all along the Kenya Rift Valley see map
Fig. 1, and several geothermal resources identified
for further exploration. Once the resources have been
proved, they are going to be developed by KenGenor IPPs in order to meet the electricity needs of thecountry.

The geothermal resources fall into different
categories of low, intermediate and high temperaturesystems, which can be harnessed for both direct

Ministry of Energy
P.O. Box 30582, Nairobi, KENYA

29

Martin Mwaisakenyi Heyautilization and electricity generation.

geothermal resources.

3. CURRENT POLICY ON GEOTHERMAL

6. HISTORY OF GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION IN

DEVELOPMENTKENYA

The Geothermal Energy is covered in the geothermal
resources Act of 1982. Licenses for Geothermal
Development are granted by the Minister of Energy.
The government of the Republic of Kenya hasliberalized power generation to encouraged private
sector participation and established Electricity
Regulatory Board (ERB) to regulate activities in thepower sector.

The history of geothermal exploration in Kenya dates
back more than 30 years ago. It was recognizedthat the central Rift Valley, in particular Olkaria
area could contain a geothermal energy resource. In
1956 two wells were drilled with the second one X2,
approximately 3 km to the North-West of the present
geothermal power production area reaching a depthof 1035 meters was found to have a temperatureof up to 235 ﾟC. It was not until 1970 when detailed
exploration, with government of Kenya and UNDP
funding, commenced investigation in Olkaria, Eburru,and Bogoria. Olkaria was subsequently given toppriority after detailed review in 1972.

4. VISION OF THE GEO-EXPLORATION DEPT.,MINISTRY OF ENERGYAccording to statistics of energy demand by the 2015
additional 500MW electrical Energy from Geothermal
Resources should be on line. This means many moregeothermal power stations should be operational bythat date. There is need for urgent surface exploration
activities for all the fields, in order to meet this target.
Further exploration and development of geothermal
sources for Electrical Energy will require support andfunding. The involvement of bilateral, multinationaland IPP developers in resource evaluation anddevelopment are encouraged.

Subsequently exploratory drilling was undertakenin the Olkaria area in 1973, which led to thefirst geothermal power plant of 15MW beingcommissioned in 1981. Another two, each of 15MW
followed this plant. These three power units aresupplied with steam from an area of 1.5 square
Kilometers.
Table. 1 attached is summary of further explorationthat has been conducted to date. This chart shows theinstitutions that have been involved and the results.
The comments in the chart also indicate what isanticipated of each area in future. These exploration
activities have identified a number of geothermal
prospects along the entire parts of the Rift Valley.
These prospects are shown in the accompanying mapof the geothermal fields of the Kenya Rift Valley (Fig.
1).

5 . R O L E O F GEOTHERMAL DIVISION, G E O EXPLORATION DEPT, MINISTRY OF ENERGY

1. Survey of all geothermal areas presumed to containthe resource in the country.
2. To undertake drilling test in order to promote
development in the untapped areas before
tendering them to developers.
3. Field survey to test the geothermal resource
exploration techniques i.e. the suitable exploration
methods for various fields and equipment.
4. Research and development of geothermal
resources that are not related to geothermal power
generation but rather those that are broad based
e.g. medicinal, agriculture, industry and any otherdirect uses of geothermal energy.
5 . Formulati o n o f a c t s , r u l e s g ove r n i n g t h egeothermal exploration, utilization and safety
standards.
6. Monitoring of operations of Independent Power
Producers (IPPs).
7. Licensing of exploration and development of

7. ROLE OF KENGEN/ IPPs

Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) isa Government Company licensed in early 1982 togenerate electricity from Geothermal Energy amongst
other sources in Olkaria Geothermal Field on behalfof the Government.
Further exploration was carried out in Olkaria todetermine the boundaries of various fields. Thereis a continuous monitoring of the behavior of thereservoir during production. In addition there
is drilling of make up wells to maintain constant30

GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN KENYAIN KENYA

production and field maintenance. The Independent
Power Producers (IPPs) are licensed to produce
electricity from their own geothermal power plantand sell it to Kenya Power and Lightning Co.Ltd.
(KPLC). The company that transmits and distributes
electrical power in Kenya.

The Electric power production in Kenya has an
installed capacity of 1013.4 MW broken down by
source as follows:
674.0MW
281.5MW
57.0 MW
0.4 MW

8. CURRENT PRODUCTION AND POTENTIALTY

Geothermal power production is in Olkaria. From
Olkaria 1 field first 15 MW generator plant, began
operations in July 1981 and the next two 15 MW
in 1982 and in 1985 respectively. The Geothermal
power plant is owned by Kenya Electricity Generating
Company (KenGen). In 2000 an IPP Installeda geothermal power plant in Olkaria 111 field
producing 12 MW of electrical power. Two othergeothermal power stations, each of 64 MW areplanned for commissioning in Olkaria 11 and 111
fields respectively by the year 2003. One of the twogeothermal fields will be developed by KenGen andthe other by Independent Power Producer (IPP).

Hydro
ThermalGeothermalWind

10. CONCLUSIONSFor the Geothermal Projects, only the 128MW
plants at Olkaria have been identified and are underconstruction. The exploration and developmentof the remaining 348MW will require support andfunding. The involvement of bilateral, multinationaland IPP developers in resource evaluation anddevelopment are encouraged.
Seven isolated diesel stations with an installedcapacity of 9.2MW.

The following is a summary of the status of thevarious geothermal fields in Kenya as of 2000:The projected demand for electric power between
2000 and 2015 is as follows:

1. Olkaria 1 - 45 MW of electric power being
produced by KenGen.
2. Olkaria 11 - Under construction to produce 64 MW
being developed by KenGen to be commissionedby 2003.Total power proven so far is 80 MW.
3. Olkaria 111 - Planned 64MW for development
by IPP by 2003, at present only 12 MW is being
produced.
4. Olkaria 1V - Open and under assessment by theGovernment.
5. Domes area (Olkaria) - Under exploratory drillingand so far three wells have been completed andare undergoing discharge tests.
6. Longonot area - Planned exploratory drilling andmachinery are being moved to the site for the firstwell to be drilled.
7. Eburru - Drilled and some 10 MW of geothermal
power planned.
8. Menengai - Under review, to be compared withSuswa for exploratory drilling.

YEAR PEAKLOAD
20012005
2010
2015

1013.4MW
1136.0MW
1543.0MW
2086.0MW

To meet this projected demand, it is envisaged thatthe following projects will need to be put in place
between now and 2015.
Hydro (Under construction)
Hydro
ThermalGeothermal

140MW
180MW
680MW
512MW

REFERENCES

Acres International Ltd, (1987). Kenya National
Power Development Plan 1986-2006.
Executive Summary Report for the Ministry ofEnergy.

Table. 2 shows the status of the various geothermal
fields in Kenya as of year 2001.
9. DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC POWER AND SOURCES
31

Martin Mwaisakenyi Heya

Mwangi, M. (2000). Country Update Report for Kenya
1995-1999. A Report for the proceedings world

Geothermal Congress 2000.

���������������������� �������������������������������� ����������� �������������������������������������������������������������� �������� ���������� �������������� �����������������������������
������� ���������������� ������������ ���� ������ �����Fig. 1 Location map of geothermal fields in Kenya

32

GEOTHERMAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA

Table. 1 1HISTORY OF GEOTHERMAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA���������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����� � ������������������������������������������� � ����������������������������������������� ������������ ����� �������������������������������� ��������� ���� ����������������������������� ����� ������� ����������������������������� ��������������

���� �� �������������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������������� �������������������� �������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ��� ������������� ����������� ��������� ���������������� ��� �� ������������
������ ��������� ���������������� ����� ������������
���������� ��������� ��������
�������������

����� ���������������

����������� ��������
���������������������������������

���� ���������

�����������������������

���� ���������� �������� ��� �����

Table. 2 STATUS OF GEOTHRMAL FIELDS IN KENYA������������ �������� ��������� ���������� ���������� ��������� ��������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� �� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������� ������� ������������������ �� ����� �������������� �������������� ���������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������ ������� ��� ������� �� ��� ������ ��� ���� ���� ��� ���� �� ��������� ������ ������� ��� �������� ��� �� ����������� �������� ������� ����� ����� ������� ������ ��� ������� ����� ��� �������� ������������ ��� ����������� ������������33