Construction of Aluto-Langano geothermal project in Ethiopia in track

Construction of the Aluto-Langano geothermal project in Ethiopia is on track. The Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) announced that it has surpassed a crucial stage on the project.

According to Rebecca Miano, the Managing Director and CEO of the leading electric power generating company in East Africa, the first 450 meters is the most difficult phase of the entire geothermal well drilling process, which can go up to a depth of 3,000 meters.

Read:Kenya, AU, New Zealand partner for geothermal energy in Kenya

Drilling rate

“We commend our team for surpassing the 450 meters depth of drilling, overcoming all the challenges usually encountered at the initial stages of drilling a geothermal well. This particular one is even being done under peculiar circumstances including unforeseen delays occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mrs. Miano.

Going forward the company will be drilling at a rate of about 50 meters per day and therefore they expect to complete the remaining part on schedule, in about two months. The drilling of the second geothermal well under the Aluto-Langano project started Mid-August 2021 and it was reportedly at a depth of 36 meters by the 18th day of the month.

KenGen believes that depending on the outcomes of Lot 1 wells (a total of 8 wells), an additional 12 wells may be drilled under Lot 2 of the contract, which it won in a joint venture with Shandong Kerui Petroleum Equipment Company and Shandong Kerui Oilfield Service Group in February 2019, to bring the total number of wells to 20