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Substation to serve Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia to be commissioned this year

A major electricity substation in Kenya which will serve the East Africa region is set to be commissioned later this year. 

Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum confirmed that the Suswa substation is set to be commissioned “at a later date this year.”

The substation connects to Nairobi through Isinya to Embakasi and Nairobi North and to Mombasa through Isinya to Rabai.

Suswa is projected to become a connection point to Ethiopia through the ongoing 500kV HVDC line and Tanzania through the Isinya–Arusha line.

Substation in Kenya to stabilise regional power

“This project will stabilise power, increase transmission capacity and Improve the quality and reliable power supply in the country.”

The ministry said Suswa will be the largest sub-station in East Africa.

“It receives and evacuates green geothermal power from Olkaria, wind power from Lake Turkana and the 500kV Ethiopia-Kenya HVDC link imported power.”

The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) signed a $230 million contract with Siemens AG-Isolux Inginieria Consortium for the construction of the substation in 2015.

At the time, KETRACO said that once completed “the project shall ensure affordable access to electricity by Kenyans, industries and the local governments due to the cheap hydropower from Ethiopia.

“The Interconnection will also offer alternate power supply to Kenya and Ethiopia in the dry season when hydro generation is dismal.”

This substation in Kenya will form part of the wider Eastern Electricity Highway Project, set up to integrate the East African region by supporting the integration of power systems of the countries with a combined population of over 200 million.

The programme has three phases for connecting the power grids of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

Connecting to the coast

Meanwhile, KETRACO board chairperson Abdi Bare Duale said last month that the 400/220kV Mariakani substation is set to be completed in June 2023.

Duale said that the substation is key part of the grid connecting Coast Region (Rabai) and Olkaria, Nairobi, Isinya and Kipeto.

“The future Special Economic Zone (EPZ) at Dongo Kundu will be served from this substation. Kwale County will also benefit when a future line is done from a tee-off to Shimoni,” said Duale.

Mariakani Substation is “an essential part of the 482km 400/220kv Mombasa-Nairobi transmission line as it steps up the power to ensure it is transmitted over long distances (over 400km) thus reducing transmission losses.”

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