Menengai III Geothermal Power Station
Menengai III Geothermal Power Station is a 35 MW geothermal plant in the Menengai Crater, Nakuru County, Kenya. It reached full commercial commissioning in August 2023. The plant is located about 30 km north of Nakuru and roughly 185 km northwest of Nairobi. It is part of Kenya’s plan to use steam from the Menengai Crater to generate up to 130 MW across three 35 MW plants. The project is owned by Sosian Energy Limited and was built by Kaishan Renewable Energy Development, a unit of Zhejiang Kaishan. Construction cost about US$79.15 million.
Key milestones and details:
- June 8, 2023: The station began supplying power to Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), with around 22 MW expected by the end of June.
- August 2023: The plant achieved full commercial commissioning.
- Power Purchase Agreement: A 25-year agreement with KPLC starts at full commissioning.
Ownership and financing notes:
- March 2022: Narendra Raval sold his stake in Sosian Menengai Geothermal Geothermal Power Limited, with Gideon Moi taking the concession.
- April 2022: The African Development Bank withdrew financing consideration unless ownership changes were made.
- July 2024: The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) approved a US$68 million loan to help expand capacity from 35 MW to 45 MW (12-year term).
Economics:
- Steam cost: about US$14.5 million per year.
- Cost to produce electricity: about US$0.08 per kWh.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:42 (CET).