Geothermal Development Campany (GDC) has taken a significant step by expanding its geothermal exploration to the Suswa region of Narok County. This expansion is part of the companys major contribution to the nationwide Kenyas initiative for clean, green and sustainable energy from the Rift Valley.
GDC Acting Managing Director Stephen Busienei mentioned that the drilling rigs have already been moved to Suswa thus the project will now be alongside the company’s other geothermal projects in Menengai, Nakuru County, and the fields of Paka and Silali, Baringo County.
Suswa project is slated to be a major electricity power generator of up to 300 megawatts (MW) once the project is fully developed. Exploration and development will be executed in three phases, the first phase will be the drilling of steam wells that will be used to produce 100MW.
Kenya is the leading country in geothermal power generation in Africa with nearly 1, 000MW of installed capacity. The country also has an estimated 10, 000MW of geothermal energy potential that is yet to be tapped mainly along the Rift Valley. GDCs Suswa project is a strategic move towards exploiting this vast energy resource as well as strengthening the national energy security.
Busienei is of the opinion that GDC has been able to greatly build its technical capability and gain absolute confidence in steam exploration and field development through the lessons learnt from the geothermal projects in Nakuru and Baringo counties.