Company type | Parastatal |
---|---|
Industry | Electric utility |
Predecessor | Kenya Power and Lighting Company |
Founded | 2 December 2008 by split |
Founder | Government of Kenya |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Abdi B. Duale, Chairperson of the Board of Directors Eng. John M. Mativo, PhD, Managing Director |
Products | Electrical power |
Services | Electric power transmission |
Owner | Government of Kenya |
Website | www |
Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited, commonly referred to as KETRACO, is a wholly-owned parastatal of the Government of Kenya which serves as the primary Transmission System Operator in the Republic of Kenya.
Prior to the year 2008, the transmission of electricity in large quantities in Kenya was carried out by Kenya Power and Lighting Company, which also handled electricity generation and distribution to the public. As part of efforts to make electricity delivery more efficient, the government incorporated KETRACO in December 2008 with the mandate of taking over the role of bulk electricity transmission in the country as well as maintenance of the National Transmission Grid. [1] It is mandated to "plan, design, construct, own, operate and maintain high voltage electricity transmission grids, as well as the regional interconnectors". It is responsible for high voltage lines and substations with 132kV and above. [2]
KETRACO is responsible for the maintenance of electricity grid networks and transformers with voltages of 132kV, 220kV, 400kV, and 500kV. Additionally, the company is in charge of designing, building, and maintaining interconnectors with neighbouring foreign countries, which enables Kenya to sell to, buy from, or transmit electricity between her neighbours, as well as to participate in the Eastern Africa Power Pool. [2]
As of December 2017, KETRACO had completed the construction of 1,791.5 kilometres (1,113 mi) of high voltage electricity lines in the country. [3] At that time, a total of 2,359 kilometres (1,466 mi) of high voltage electricity lines were under implementation. [4]
The headquarters of KETRACO are located at Kawi Complex, Popo Lane, Off Red Cross Road, in the South C neighbourhood of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. [5]
Murraylink is an Australian high voltage direct current electricity transmission link between Berri in South Australia and Red Cliffs in Victoria, connecting the two state electricity grids. Murraylink was commissioned in 2002 and is believed to be the world's longest underground transmission system and cost more than A$177 million. It was built by TransEnergie Australia, a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec. It was sold to the Australian Pipeline Trust in March 2006 for A$153 million. In December 2008 ownership of Murraylink was transferred to the newly formed Energy Infrastructure Investments Group, while APA continued as the operator. The ownership of EII is APA with 19.9%, with the balance with Japan-based Marubeni Corporation with 49.9% and Osaka Gas with 30.2%.
Kenya Power and Lighting Company, commonly referred to as Kenya Power or shortened KPLC, is a public liability company which transmits, distributes and retails electricity to customers throughout Kenya.
The Muzizi Power Station is a proposed 45 megawatts (60,000 hp) hydroelectric power project in Uganda. The project, which has been planned for several years, has received a funding commitment from KfW and the French Development Agency.
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Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) is a wind farm in Kenya. It is located in Loiyangalani District, in Marsabit County, approximately 545 kilometres (339 mi) by road north of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. The wind farm covers 160 square kilometres and has a capacity of 310 MW, enough to supply one million homes. It comprises 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts. The associated overhead electric grid distribution system and a high voltage substation that connect it to the national grid.
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Kawanda–Birembo High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, under construction, connecting the high voltage substation at Kawanda, in Uganda to another high voltage substation at Birembo, in Rwanda.
Bujagali–Tororo–Lessos High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, under construction, connecting the high voltage substation at Bujagali, in Uganda to another high voltage substation at Lessos, in Kenya.
The Tororo–Opuyo–Lira High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, connecting the high voltage substation at Tororo, to another high voltage substation at Lira, in Uganda.
The Lira–Gulu–Nebbi–Arua High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, under construction in Uganda. It connects the high voltage substation at Lira, in Lira District, to another high voltage substation at Arua, in Arua District, all in the Northern Region of the country.
Loiyangalani–Suswa High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line in Kenya, connecting the high voltage substation at Loyangalani, in Marsabit County, to another high voltage substation at Suswa, in Narok County.
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Sodo–Moyale–Suswa High Voltage Power Line is a 500 kV bipolar high-voltage direct current electricity power transmission line, under construction, connecting the Wolayta converter station near Sodo, Ethiopia with the Suswa converter station near Suswa, Kenya.
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The Opuyo–Moroto High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, connecting the high voltage substation at Opuyo, a southern suburb of the city of Soroti, in the Eastern Region to another high voltage substation at Moroto, in the Northern Region of Uganda. The power line was energized in June 2021.
The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), is a collaborative effort by eleven countries in Eastern Africa to interconnect their electricity grids and take advantage of excess capacity within the network and facilitate trade of electric power between the members.
The Mirama–Kabale High Voltage Power Line is a high voltage electricity power line, connecting the high voltage substation in the town of Mirama Hills, in the Western Region to another high voltage substation in te city of Kabale, also in the Western Region of Uganda.
The Mirama–Kikagati–Nsongezi High Voltage Power Line is a planned high voltage electricity power line, connecting the high voltage substation at Mirama Hills, in the Western Region of Uganda, to another high voltage substation at Kikagati Hydroelectric Power Station and continues to end at Nshungyezi Hydropower Station.
Mombasa Cement Wind Power Station, is a 36 MW (48,000 hp) wind power plant in Kenya. The wind farm was developed and is owned by Mombasa Cement Limited, the second-largest manufacturer of cement in Kenya, with an annual output of 1.6 million tonnes annually as of November 2019. The output of this power station is intended for use in the company's clinker factory in Vipingo. Any surplus electricity is sold to Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC). The power station was built to mitigate against the recurrent supply failures of KPLC, which were affecting profitability at the cement manufacturer.