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Kenya completes 100-MW

Kipeto wind farm

KENYA CONSTRUCTION of Kenya’s 100-MW Kipeto contract price of over $212mn.
wind farm has been completed, with all 60 In December 2018, Actis acquired the equity
turbines at the new site sending power to the interests of both the International Finance Cor-
national grid, developers BTE Renewables and poration (IFC) and the African Infrastructure
Kenyan-owned Craftskills said. Investment Managers (AIIM) to become the
Located in Kajiado County, Kipeto is Kenya’s largest shareholder of the Kipeto wind power
second-largest wind power project and has a project. Within the same period, the project
20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with achieved financial closure and GE was con-
KPLC. tracted to supply the 60 wind turbines for the
It is part of the US Power Africa initiative, farm. The energy farm will provide power to
which seeks to add 30,000 MW of clean energy approximately 250,000 households.
in sub-Saharan Africa. “Today is a proud day for Kipeto and the local
The wind farm project reached financial close community of Kajiado as we enter into commer-
in December of 2018, marking the beginning of cial operation after a 12-year journey. I am very
its two-year construction phase. grateful for the ongoing support of the commu-
It was funded by equity from Actis-backed nity of Kajiado, which has been paramount for
BioTherm Energy (88%) and Kenyan company our success. Now we are providing clean and
Craftskills Ltd (12%) and a senior loan from sustainable energy for the people of Kenya with
the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the support of KPLC and Ketraco,” said Dr. Ken-
the development finance institution of the US neth Namunje, chairman and director of Kipeto
government. Energy and also director of Craftskills.
At the beginning of 2016, China Machinery Kenya’s largest wind farm is the 310-MW
Engineering Corp. (CMEC) was awarded the Lake Turkana wind farm project, which opened
contract to perform engineering design, pro- in 2019. ™
curement and construction of the wind farm at a

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