Utilities

As with a number of African markets, expanding the capacity of Kenya’s utilities sector is a key part of the government’s blueprint for development. On the power side, the government aims to add 5000 MW of generation capacity to the existing 1672 MW by 2017. Down the road, the government intends to further expand capacity to meet the 17,000 MW of demand anticipated by 2030. Renewables such as geothermal energy and wind are also key to this plan. The water and sanitation sectors are lagging, but upcoming regulation promises to clarify roles and facilitate private sector investment. The goal that is laid out in the Vision 2030 master plan is to extend universal access to safe water by 2030. Nairobi alone requires $1.9bn in infrastructure upgrades to meet this goal. All sectors within the utilities umbrella promise to grow and have strong support from the national government.

This chapter contains interviews with Jay Ireland, President and CEO, General Electric Africa; and Ben Chumo, Managing Director and CEO, Kenya Power.