According the managing director of KenGen, Mr Eddy Njoroge, Sinohydro a Chinese company the construction and Nippon Koei consultants from Japan are the two firms who have emerged winners of the bids to power Kenya?s electricity.
The construction of a power station to add 20 megawatts into the national grid by 2011 is set to begin in November and continue for the next 36 months.
The new station is expected to make use of the discharge of 39.9 cubic metres per second of water from the Sondu power station, dropping from a height of 62.2 metres because the demand for electricity is estimated at 1050MW.
The project was identified as one of the main concerns in addressing the growing demand for electricity in the country.
Reports claim that studies for the project were carried out in 1992. It is expected to interface with Sondu/Miriu power station and boost generation of hydropower in western Kenya.
At present, many region depends on the yet to be commissioned Sondu/Miriu project that is expected to inject 60 megawatts into the national grid when fully operational.
The project is reported to cost Sh4.6 billion until it is completed. Japan Bank for International Co-operation has provided an initial funding to the tune of Sh3.65 billion
