KenGen has announced a major milestone: the unveiling of Kenya’s first battery energy storage system (BESS) dedicated to powering a data centre, a move hailed as a breakthrough in leveraging renewable energy for critical digital infrastructure.
The announcement, made in July 2025, signals a new era in Kenya’s green transition by marrying clean power generation with modern energy storage technologies.
The BESS installation forms part of a larger Sh8.8 billion solar-plus-storage project at the Seven Forks hydro complex, located near Kamburu Dam in Embu County.
The solar plant, with a capacity of 42.5 MW and equipped with a 3 MW/4.5 MWh battery system, is designed to feed excess clean energy into the national grid or directly to high-demand sites such as data centres during peak hours.
This facility is Kenya’s first operational battery storage device linked to a solar project, and it will enable KenGen to store daytime-generated solar energy for later use, reducing reliance on thermal power during evening peaks and improving grid stability.
The impetus comes in response to energy curtailment challenges faced during off-peak periods and growing variability from renewable sources like solar and geothermal.
KenGen’s Managing Director Peter Njenga emphasized that the BESS project marks a pivotal step toward Kenya’s ambitions for energy resilience and climate-aligned growth.
Under the World Bank–funded Kenya Green and Resilient Expansion of Energy (GREEN) program, KenGen is piloting the BESS strategy in several regions, including Central Rift, Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Coastal and Western Kenya, with a view to scaling up to 100 MW storage capacity in future phases.
The integration of storage with renewable power is a strategic response to the intermittent nature of solar energy and the need for dependable supply to data centres, especially those serving hyperscale and AI workloads. Kenya’s digital ecosystem is expanding, with facilities like IXAfrica’s Tier 3+ hyperscale data centre relying on stable power infrastructure.
Industry analysts note that embedding battery storage in solar infrastructure aligns with government directives requiring new solar and wind plants to include BESS under power purchase agreements with Kenya Power.
This approach not only buffers the grid during peaks but also helps reduce expensive reliance on thermal generation.
KenGen, which currently provides over 65 percent of Kenya’s 1,904 MW installed capacity drawn from geothermal, hydro, solar, and wind sees the project as central to its long-term strategic goals. Its 2024–2034 Green Power Strategy commits to adding 1,500 MW of renewable energy and 500 MWh of storage to the national grid by 2034.
With growing demand for digital services and mounting pressure to cut carbon emissions, the Seven Forks battery project positions Kenya at the forefront of Africa’s clean energy innovation.
It delivers a proof of concept for how renewables and storage can underpin reliable, cost-effective electricity for data-driven infrastructure.
In summary, KenGen’s unveiling of the first battery storage system dedicated to powering a data centre marks both a technological and policy milestone. By integrating BESS with solar, the company addresses power reliability challenges, enhances grid stability, and advances Kenya’s leadership in renewable storage solutions.
Written By Ian Maleve
