President William Ruto has disclosed that the government’s plan to set up data centers has stalled due to insufficient electricity capacity.
Speaking on Tuesday, November 4, while addressing Kenyans living in Qatar, Ruto said one data center requires 1,000 megawatts, yet the whole country has 2,300 megawatts.
The Head of State joked that setting up a single data center would require shutting down half of the country’s electricity supply.
“When I went to the United States, we signed an agreement between G42 of the UAE, Microsoft of America, and Kenya to establish data centers.
“When I got back home, we were told that one data center requires 1,000 megawatts, yet the entire country only produces 2,300 megawatts. So, to set up one data center, we would have to shut down half the country,” Ruto said.
The President emphasized that the country needs to generate at least 10,000 megawatts in order to be industrialized.
“If we have to industrialize, if we have to engage in manufacturing, we need a minimum of 10,000 megawatts and we need it like yesterday,” Ruto stated.
Further, President Ruto pointed out that Kenya Power is often forced to do load shedding to ensure that other regions continue to receive electricity.
“Today in Kenya, between 5 pm and 10 pm, we have to do load-shedding, we have to shut some areas so as to be able to power other areas because our energy is not enough,” Ruto added.
In May 2024, Kenya signed a deal with Microsoft and UAE-based AI firm G42 to set up a 1GW mega data centre.
The deal, which was signed in Washington, DC, was witnessed by President Ruto, Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, and G42 Group CEO Peng Xiao.
Under the agreement, the two companies were expected to deliver a comprehensive package of digital investments in Kenya, as part of a joint initiative with the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy.
“This partnership is bigger than technology itself. It is about the coming together of three countries with a common vision of a nation empowered by technology, where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive in the global digital landscape.
“It’s about building a future where Kenya flourishes as a digital leader,” Ruto said after the signing of the deal.
