KENYA AWARD TURKANA POWER LINE TO CHINESE FIRM

Ketraco award contract for 428km power line construction after isolux contract was terminate.

The Turkana power line project has been awarded to the consortium, consisting of NARI Group Corporation and Power China Guizhou Engineering Company. Ketraco terminates Isolux contract because the project will be push back after it was place under ownership.

The termination of the project was after its parent company filed for bankruptcy in Spain.

The project which is a 428-kilometre power line has 70% completed according to The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO). It will generate 310 megawatts of electricity that will lower electricity costs.

KETRACO managing director Fernandes Barasa, “The government is discussing with the developers to work with the new August 31 timeline, not June,”

According to him, ”The contractors have committed to pay the fines themselves should there be delays of their making.”

The funds agreed by both parties for any delays of the project beyond June is Sh1 billion fine monthly. The taxpayers will receive the month through their power bills.

NARI Group Corporation general manager Chen Chao, “We have outlined a methodology that will accelerate the process and I am confident that we will deliver as per the contract.”

The developers faced constant power problem since there is failure to connect the wind farm to the national grid. The failure to connect is as a result of landowners delayed compensation demands.