AfDB in US$ 151 million Kenya wind power loan

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a € 115 million (US$ 151 million) loan to support development of a wind power project in Kenya’s Lake Turkana region – the largest wind power project in Africa.

The project includes the construction and operation of a 300 MW wind farm with 365 turbines. The wind farm will also allow the landlocked Great Rift Valley region to be connected to the rest of the country through the improved infrastructure linked to the wind farm, including a road, fibre-optic cable and electrification.

The government of Kenya will construct a 428 km transmission line connecting the Lake Turkana Wind Power project to the national grid.

The Lake Turkana wind project will be implemented by Lake Turkana Wind Power, a special purpose vehicle consisting of a group of investors including Kemperman Paardekooper & Partners Africa, Aldwych International, the Investment Fund for Developing Countries of Denmark, Norfund, and Vestas Wind Systems.