Kenya’s Kisumu Solar One Project to Commence Operation in 2024

Posted on : Wednesday , 29th March 2023

Ergon Solair Africa Limited, a company with US-European-Kenyan ownership, is developing the Kisumu Solar One 40MWAC Solar Project in Kibos (Kajulu), with planned commissioning and operation in 2024. The project, which is endorsed by the Government of Kenya, is planned to have a capacity of 40 MWAC with single axis tracking, on a 249 Acre land, located 8 km from the Kibos new Sub Station. The project has a 1st year estimated output of 103,000 MWh, which will be fed into the Kibos substation. The capital expenditure for the project is estimated to be US$ 52 Million.

The Commercial Operation Date (COD) for the project, originally granted by EPRA for December 2023, has been formally extended to 2024, confirmed in writing by KPLC, after discussions with the Ministry of Energy. The Tariff, which was originally confirmed by EPRA at US$ 0.075, following discussions with the Ministry of Energy, was agreed at US$ 0.0575. The project will be financially structured as blended finance, with institutional and private parties expressing interest to fund the completion of the project.

Additionally, Ergon Solair Africa Limited offered to build a 16 MWh energy storage facility adjacent to the Kisumu Solar One power plant, which will require a top-up of the Bulk Tariff, to be discussed. The project is part of a vast program that the developer, jointly with other Kenyan and European partners, is promoting for multiple European-Kenya Green Deal project developments under the ACP-EU Partnership. The project pipeline includes various scope in Nyeri, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kakamega, and other areas.

Furthermore, Ergon Solair Africa Limited is planning a collateral development adjacent to the Kisumu Solar One power plant, a Center for Excellence in Sustainability, also endorsed by the Government of Kenya for development under the ACP-EU Partnership. The Center, once completed and operational, will be a global center for the study and proposal of Green Deal solutions for an African Green New Deal, projecting Kenya worldwide as a leader in the Global Green New Deal.