Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen), a state-owned utility, said Wednesday that it plans to reduce the country's reliance on hydropower, which is vulnerable to unpredictable rainfall patterns, to boost energy resilience.
Kenya's hydropower installed capacity is estimated to be 840 megawatts, accounting for 24 percent of total electricity output, said Peter Njenga, chief executive officer of KenGen.
"The hydropower is the cheapest
and most established source of power, but it is also the most vulnerable to climate change," Njenga said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
"With droughts recently cutting deep into production, the country's reliance on water-fed dams is being re-evaluated," he said.
Geothermal energy accounts for the largest portion of Kenya's installed capacity at 26.13 percent
and thermal power at 17.36 percent, with the rest contributed by solar, wind,
and other sources, according to data from the Energy
and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Njenga said KenGen has rolled out real-time monitoring systems across its hydropower dams to ensure efficient water use
and early warning for potential risks.
The government is actively accelerating geothermal expansion projects in Olkaria, Menengai,
and other geothermal-active sites to enhance Kenya's energy security, focusing on domestic stability
and regional exports through the Eastern Africa Power Pool, he said.
Editor:Evan
