Connectivity in Ethiopia and Kenya is being shaped by the Ethiopia-Kenya Electricity Highway

Posted on : Monday , 4th November 2024

The East African energy connection landscape is being redefined by the 2023 official opening of the electrical highway between Ethiopia and Kenya, which took over a decade to plan and build. The distance between Wolayta-Sodo in Ethiopia and Suswa in Kenya is 1,045 kilometers. Ethiopian hydroelectricity and Kenyan geothermal and wind power can be combined by both nations.

Central to the idea is regional connectivity. This project is all about teamwork, as Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) Managing Director John Mativo explains. "As an energy pool, East African nations determined around 2010 that an interconnected hub was necessary to enable everyone to use and exploit energy and support one another."

We are using HVDC technology because it is easy to use, improves grid stability when operating the interconnection from the power grids of different countries, and minimizes energy waste and power losses in the transmission lines. It also lowers the costs of building transmission lines.

East Africa's goal to be interconnected in terms of power exchange and permit cross-border energy trading is based on this high voltage DC infrastructure, which is unique in the region. The highway connects not only electrical grids but also countries and people, making it more than just a piece of infrastructure. It is also an economic and environmental entity.

Ethiopian hydroelectric dams generate alternating electricity, which is then sent to the converter station in Sodo via the country's grid. After being changed to Direct Current (DC), it travels 1,045 kilometers via an overhead transmission line from Ethiopia to Kenya. It will be transformed back into alternating current upon arrival at the Suswa converter station so that it may be incorporated into the Kenyan electrical system.

The African Development Bank contributed $338 million toward the $1.26 billion total expenditure. The governments of the two nations in question, the World Bank, and the Agence française de developpement (AFD) also made contributions.

There have been substantial financial gains from the initiative. With 95% of its electricity coming from renewable sources, Kenya is becoming more competitive as a result of the connection. Ketraco's general manager, Kipkemoi Kibias, supports the initiative. There are many benefits to using clean, renewable energy, not only for Kenyans but for people everywhere. It helps us draw in green energy-seeking investors, particularly in light and heavy sectors.

The initiative generates employment. Local economic activity is increased and hundreds of jobs are created when commercial zones are developed near energy infrastructure, such as the one in Suswa. Additionally, the initiative incorporates a substantial social component, particularly through the involvement of local communities. There are chances for local growth because 70 of the 100 workers at the Suswa power station are from the surrounding area.

Kenya is already making progress toward clean energy self-sufficiency, with the goal of switching to entirely renewable energy by 2030. Kenya can raise investment in green energy and stabilize its energy supply by connecting its grid to Ethiopia. Investors, who view this infrastructure as a guarantee of environmental and energy security, share this goal.

The Ethiopia-Kenya power highway represents a future vision where green energy becomes the catalyst for greater regional collaboration and sustainable development, and it is much more than just a straightforward infrastructure project. East African nations are able to effectively share their energy resources and meet the expanding demands of their businesses and populations because of this relationship.