Kenya is set to start work on its third 35 MW geothermal power station in the Menengai geothermal field, 180km northwest of the capital, Nairobi.

The AfDB reports that it has approved a US$16.5 million loan facility to develop the OrPower Twenty-Two (OTTL) geothermal power plant. According to Africa Business Communities, the plant will complement two other 35 MW plants in the region – the Sosian Menengai geothermal plant, which is already up and running, and the Globeleq Menengai geothermal project, which is still under construction with separate AfDB financing.

All three plants make up the first phase of the 105 MW Menengai geothermal field, which was developed by the government-owned Geothermal Development Company (GDC) with US$145 million in AfDB financing. GDC is responsible for drilling, producing and supplying quality steam to the new power plant, and the state-owned Kenya Power and Lighting Company will be the sole offtaker from the OTTL plant under a 25-year power purchase agreement.

When fully operational, the OTTL plant will generate an estimate 301 GWh of reliable, clean energy annually, contributing to Kenya’s efforts to double its geothermal capacity from 940 MW to 1 824 MW by 2030.

3 February 2026
Image: Freepik