The $1.3 billion project is to build a plant generating a minimum of 300MW electric power to a maximum of 600MW electric power. In the bidding process, Daewoo International beat competitors such as the US-based Sithe Global and the UK-based Aldwych.
The power plant will be built in the outskirt of Mom basa port. The Kenyan government has been constructing power lines from Mom basa to Nairobi in consideration of the power plant construction.
Kenya has been powered mainly by electricity generated from hydro and diesel power plants. However, the country has been suffering from an electricity shortage due to continuous drought conditions and excessive production fees from soaring international oil prices. The Kenyan government established plans to expand electricity in a bid to improve the situation. To that end, the country plans to build another 1500MW power plant by 2019.
