Gogo hydropower plant project receives green light for redevelopment

The Gogo hydropower project in Kenya is slated for development. This follows approval from the country’s Cabinet that allows KenGen, Kenya’s electricity generating company, to enhance the production capacity of the project.

The project aims to redevelop the existing 2MW capacity hydropower plant, increasing it to 8.6 MW. This redevelopment is part of KenGen’s efforts to stabilize electricity supply and reduce power outages in the Western Kenya region.

The 64-year-old Gogo hydropower plant will undergo modernization which will see the project utilizing water inflows from the Kuja River and involve the construction of a new powerhouse with two vertical turbine generators, transformers, and associated equipment.

Additionally, a new 66/33kV substation and a dedicated 33kV double circuit power evacuation line will be added to improve power transmission and reliability. Funding for the feasibility study for the Gogo hydropower plant’s redevelopment was provided by the European Union through the National Treasury and the Ministry of Energy.

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Gogo hydropower plant project

The existing hydropower plant had outlived its economic life, and its equipment was outdated, making it difficult to find spare parts for maintenance and repairs. The redevelopment project aims to address these issues and improve the overall power situation in the region.

KenGen also plans to increase its power generation capacity by an additional 3,000MW over the next ten years. This expansion will largely be driven by harnessing geothermal and hydro sources for baseload power, with a focus on the Rift Valley region’s geothermal potential, estimated to be about 10,000MW. The growing adoption of electric mobility in Kenya has led to an increased demand for power generation, further emphasizing the need for these expansion projects.