FEATURE
Kenya has unlocked 942 megawatts of geothermal energy capacity, supplying nearly half of its electricity grid with clean and reliable energy.
Written by Mercy C. Wanjiku Nduati
AFRICA IS RICH IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, ranging from hydro to solar, wind, and geothermal. Although all renewables offer a means of reducing fossil fuel imports, unlike variable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, geothermal provides reliable baseload electric power. And it’s a resource of which Kenya is taking full advantage.
Kenya’s location along the East African Rift—the world’s most active continental rift—offers prime access to shallow, high-heat geothermal resources. This geological feature provides ideal subsurface conditions for drilling and steam extraction thanks to natural geothermal reservoirs located close to the surface, which makes exploration and development far more feasible and cost-effective.
Geothermal energy manifests on the earth’s surface in the form of fumaroles, hot springs, and hot-altered grounds. To extract this energy, wells are drilled to tap steam and water at high temperatures (250 °C–350 °C) and pressures (600–1,200 PSI) at depths of one to three kilometers. For electricity generation, the steam is piped to a turbine, which rotates a generator to produce electrical energy.
In “Renewables 2025,” the International Energy Agency (IEA) highlighted that global renewable power capacity is expected to double between now and 2030, increasing to 4,600 gigawatts (GW). This is roughly the equivalent of adding the combined power generation capacity of China, the European Union, and Japan to the global energy mix.
“In more than 80 percent of countries worldwide, renewable power capacity is set to grow faster between 2025 and 2030 than it did over the previous five-year period. However, challenges including grid integration, supply chain vulnerabilities, and financing are also increasing,” the report added.
According to Global Energy Monitor, more than 16,000 megawatts (MW) of geothermal capacity is operating globally, with around 15,200 MW of that generated by the world’s top 10 producers.
The U.S. leads the way with close to 4,300 MW of new geothermal capacity that is either already under construction or is in advanced planning stages. Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines have the next largest geothermal development pipelines, followed by Turkey and New Zealand.
Out of the top 10 countries with the most operational geothermal capacity as of 2025, Kenya is ranked eighth. Source: Global Energy Monitor
The geothermal landscape
Kenyan geothermal facilities primarily use conventional flash steam technology. This process converts high-pressure geothermal steam into mechanical energy to drive turbines and generate electricity.
In September 2025, the Energy and Petroleum Authority (EPRA) reported that electricity production in Kenya reached a new record high due to increasing demand from industrial, commercial, and household consumers. In August 2025, locally generated and purchased electricity reached a record of 1,291.39 million kilowatt-hours (kWh). This is growth from the previous month, driven by factors such as industrial expansion, urbanization, and more households connecting to the national grid.
However, one of the report’s major highlights was the continued dominance of renewable energy. Approximately 80 percent of the national grid’s electricity came from renewable sources, led by geothermal power. This places Kenya among the global leaders in clean energy reliance. The country has exploited close to 950 MW of geothermal energy so far, enough to power about 3.8 million homes, through a combination of state and private commercial projects.
“Kenya leads Africa in geothermal capacity, supplying approximately 50 percent of its total power from 942 MW installed capacity. Ethiopia has 13.5 MW installed capacity with 8.5 MW operating and 5 MW awaiting commissioning,” explained Peter Omenda, a geothermal and energy projects consultant and current interim president of the African Geothermal Association. “Tanzania, Uganda, and the DRC are actively exploring geothermal resources, and Djibouti, Eritrea, and Comoros have serious development plans as well.”
Olkaria II geothermal plant in Kenya. Photo: Getty
OLKARIA FACILITY BOOM
In the Olkaria II steam field, 30 wells were drilled between 1986 and 1993, but the Olkaria II Power Station’s construction was delayed until 2000, when funds became available.
Located in the northeastern sector of the greater Olkaria Geothermal field and commissioned in 2003, Olkaria II generates 105 MW. Initially, the power plant generated 70 MW from two 35-MW units. A third unit was added in 2010.
The project was co-financed by the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, KfW of Germany, and KenGen. This state-of-the-art plant features highly efficient steam utilization. It works on a single flash plant cycle with a steam consumption of 7.5 t/h/MW. The turbines are single flow, six-stage condensing with a direct contact spray jet condenser. Power generated from this facility is transmitted to the national grid via a 220 KV double circuit line.
Olkaria IV and Olkaria I’s units 4 & 5, each generating 140 MW, were commissioned in December 2014 and February 2015, respectively. These facilities represent Kenya’s largest geothermal power project at the time. Olkaria I unit 4 & 5 is located at Olkaria East of the Olkaria geothermal field, whereas Olkaria IV is at the Olkaria domes field. The projects were funded by KenGen and bilateral partners such as the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), European Investment Bank (EIB), African Development Bank, and KfW.
Olkaria V’s construction in the field’s northeast area began in January 2017. H-Young Company (HY), Mitsubishi Corporation, with its compatriot Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, were contracted to provide some of the parts needed to equip the steam plant. Olkaria V plant has a capacity of 172 MW.
Officially commissioned in July 2022, the Olkaria I Additional Unit (AU) 6 Geothermal Power Plant, injects an additional 86 MW to the national grid.
A brief history
Exploration for geothermal resources in Kenya started in the 1950s and gained momentum in the 1960s, when two wells were drilled at Olkaria. From 1967, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Kenyan government and the then East African Power and Lighting Company Ltd. (now Kenya Power), conducted geological and geophysical surveys in the area between Lake Bogoria and Olkaria.
The Kenyan government’s decision was taken to concentrate geothermal development at Olkaria in an area of 80 km². Six wells were drilled with positive results between 1971–76. Studies identified Olkaria as the most productive area, which led to the construction of the 45-MW Olkaria 1 geothermal plant in 1981. This was a result of financing mainly from the World Bank. This plant’s three 15-MW units were commissioned in phases, the first in June 1981, the second in November 1982, and the third in March 1985.
A total of 33 wells were drilled for this initial station. Thirty-one of these are still connected to the power station, while two are retired. One of these is currently being used for hot re-injection as well. The turbines are direct condensing, four-stage running, with an inlet steam pressure of 5 bars at 152 °C and a steam consumption of 9.2 t/h/MW. The plant has had an average availability factor of more than 95 percent from commissioning. Power generated is connected to the national grid via a 132 kV transmission line.
Kenya’s geothermal electricity generating capacity has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, surpassing hydro as its largest capacity source in 2022. Source: “Kenya 2024: Energy Policy Review,” International Energy Agency
In the decades that followed, drilling and construction took off. Today, there are 817 geothermal plants with a capacity of more than 1 MW across Kenya, with the most geothermal capacity in Africa and the eighth-most worldwide, according to Global Energy Monitor.
“The government provides direct funding to state-owned companies like KenGen and GDC, especially to cover the steep costs of early drilling. By covering the initial, high upfront costs of exploration and drilling, the government makes the subsequent stages of the project attractive to private investors,” Omenda explained. “The presence of a stable regulatory framework also encourages continued investment in the sector.”
Geothermal projects inherently carry extremely high financial risk, as a single well costs between $5–7 million with no guarantee of production. A critical factor in Kenya’s success is the government’s role in de-risking the costly early stages of drilling.
“Kenya has made impressive strides in geothermal energy, particularly in tackling its biggest hurdle: the high-risk, capital-intensive upfront drilling. By conducting much of the exploration themselves and sharing data with developers, Kenya has effectively de-risked early-stage investment. As a result, its geothermal sector is expanding and now supplies a significant share of the country’s electricity,” noted Diana Gragg, managing director of the Explore Program at Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy, a core lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the lead instructor for Stanford’s Understand Energy course.
Unlike many other developing nations facing capacity gaps, Kenya has successfully developed significant local expertise and equipment. This local capacity enables the country to execute geothermal projects independently.
“By conducting much of the exploration themselves and sharing data with developers, Kenya has effectively de-risked early-stage investment.”
—Diana Gragg, Managing Director of the Explore Program at Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy
More capacity on the way
Today, drilling is ongoing in the Menengai field, where Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is developing three modular power plants as part of the Menengai geothermal facility.
Menengai is a greenfield geothermal project and part of the first phase of the wider Menengai complex, which is the second large-scale geothermal field being developed in Kenya after Olkaria. The total geothermal potential in Kenya is estimated to be up to 10,000 MW.
“GDC has drilled 2–3-kilometer-deep geothermal wells that transport geothermal fluid to the surface and a 25-kilometer pipeline that transports steam from the wells to the power plant’s site,” said Stephen Onyango, an engineer at GDC.
The first plant, built by Nairobi-based Sosian Energy, is already operational. The second, currently under construction by Globeleq, one of Africa’s top independent power producers, is expected to come on stream by the end of 2025. Once the third plant is added, the Menengai geothermal facility will boast a total installed capacity of 105 megawatts, generating 1,000 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. Beneficiaries of that power will include 70,000 rural homes, as well as 300,000 small businesses and industries.
The 10 largest countries ranked by prospective geothermal capacity. Source: Global Energy Monitor
“Globeleq’s 35-MW Menengai plant, currently under construction, will be the company’s first geothermal plant and will deliver clean, reliable, and affordable baseload power to the Kenyan national grid,” said Edouard Wenseleers, director of business development at Globeleq.
In October 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of the 35-MW geothermal power plant by OrPower Twenty-Two (OrPower 22), which will be the third power plant to be supplied by steam from the Menengai geothermal steam field in Nakuru, Kenya. Construction is expected to take 14 months and will be completed in mid-2026.
Aligned with Kenya’s Vision 2030 development plan, the Menengai geothermal project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.95 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. It’s also part of Kenya’s broader commitment to renewable energy—even though geothermal sources already account for about half of the national energy supply.
Leading in multiple ways
Geothermal energy has positioned Kenya as a regional and world leader in clean energy. The export of its geothermal capabilities to neighboring countries, including Ethiopia and Djibouti, also creates revenue for Kenya and is positive for its reputation.
Wenseleers noted that geothermal contributes to a significant share of Kenya’s electricity mix, helping to stabilize the grid with reliable baseload power that complements intermittent sources like solar and wind.
Omenda echoed that sentiment in comparing geothermal energy development in Africa to the planting of a deep, specialized seed, compared to a so-called normal seed such as solar or wind that might germinate quickly. Geothermal requires massive, initial specialized investment of about $5–7 million per well and expertise to access the deep resource. Once established, however, that deep root provides a stable, continuous, and highly reliable source of energy, independent of surface weather fluctuations, he added.
Geothermal has diversified the energy landscape as well, reducing Kenya’s dependence on hydro power, which is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and droughts. Moreover, it has spurred green industrialization, lowered carbon emissions, and attracted international investment through public-private partnerships
Omenda highlighted that Kenya’s success extends beyond power generation into utilizing shallow hot water for direct use applications, creating holistic economic benefits.
In Nakuru County, 300-meter-deep wells yield 100 °C water, effectively used for pasteurizing milk, drying vegetables, and warming fish ponds. Another benefit is the cascaded use, where the heat is extracted, and the resulting cooled water is subsequently used for irrigation.
Despite misconceptions—such as renewable energy depletes surface water or is exhaustible—Kenya plans to add 2–5 GW over the next decade, requiring $5 million per megawatt. This ambitious goal demands substantial external funding, international expertise, and grid expansion.
Omenda clarified that geothermal resources are inexhaustible as only the equipment used to harness it ages.
“The Olkaria I reservoir provides a clear example, having been productive for 40 years. Even though its original equipment is being replaced, the reservoir itself remains productive and can support a new plant life cycle lasting 25 to 30 years,” he said.
These operations do not drain surface water, such as Lake Naivasha, either. Instead, geothermal systems utilize deep aquifers that are located more than 2 km below the surface and are separate from surface water bodies.
Geothermal energy is considered one of the cleanest energy sources as well. Its emissions, which consist of steam and gases, are minimal and remain well below the established World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
Steam rises from a geothermal power plant at Hells Gate, Kenya. Photo: Getty
Neighboring growth
Geothermal energy has huge potential in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Djibouti, Uganda, Rwanda, and Comoros. All are situated along the East African Rift, which has the potential to hold an estimated 20 GW of geothermal energy. Kenya is currently the most advanced African nation pursuing this technology, followed by Ethiopia, and plans to leverage its success by expanding capacity massively under the country’s 10-year growth plan. The ambitious goal is to add between 2,000 MW and 5,000 MW of geothermal capacity by the end of the decade.
“Achieving this goal requires substantial external support, including approximately $5 million per MW in investment. While local capacity is strong, the planned rapid pace of expansion necessitates further collaboration with international expertise from countries like Italy, the U.S., New Zealand, and Iceland for feasibility studies and design,” Omenda said.
In September 2025, power generator KenGen unveiled a 10-year strategic plan to increase the country’s installed capacity by 1,500 MW and introduce 500 megawatt-hours of energy storage.
Omenda emphasized that achieving Kenya’s 10-year growth target hinges on securing affordable financing, leveraging international expertise for key tasks like feasibility studies and design, and expanding power generation to remote areas. This will require significant grid extension, expected to be delivered through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Moreover, the African Union (AU) is financing the drilling of a KES $1.3 billion (US $10 million) geothermal power project jointly with the Rift Valley National Polytechnic (RVNP) in Nakuru County, Kenya.
Despite the inherent potential, most of the African continent remains in an exploration phase regarding geothermal. While dedicated efforts are mostly focused on high-temperature fields, strong potential remains in utilizing lower-temperature resources for direct-use applications. But with continued collaboration and targeted investment, Africa is well-positioned to become a leading region in geothermal development, following in Kenya’s heated footsteps.
Mercy C. Wanjiku Nduati is an editorial fellow based in Nairobi, Kenya, with Engineering for Change, an online platform for innovators working to solve problems in sustainable global development. ASME is a founding partner of E4C.
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