Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has successfully completed and energized a 400kV transmission line connecting Kenya and Tanzania.
This $309.26 million project marks a significant advancement in regional economic integration and energy collaboration, set to transform the energy landscape of both nations.
Spanning 510 kilometers, the interconnector is a vital component of the Eastern Electricity Highway, enhancing energy ties and facilitating the exchange of power among member states.
Key infrastructure improvements include the expansion of the Isinya and Singida substations and the construction of a new substation in Arusha.
Speaking at the recent Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) conference, Ketraco Managing Director John Mativo emphasized the project’s transformative potential.
“This regional interconnector will enhance the reliability of the interconnected power system, ensuring more sustainable and dependable electricity access,” he stated. Mativo elaborated that it would also pave the way for large-scale renewable energy projects, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by providing affordable renewable power to countries dependent on fossil fuels.
With the successful launch of this interconnector, power exchange will now be possible not only between Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania but also with nations in the Southern Africa Power Pool, as well as Sudan and Egypt. The interconnector facilitates access to cheaper electricity through an organized economic merit order dispatch.
On the Kenyan side, the initiative involved constructing a 96km 400kV line from Isinya to the Namanga border, funded jointly by the Kenyan government and the African Development Bank at a cost of Kshs 4.9 billion.
The project was executed by North China Power Engineering Company Limited.
