Vestas has received an order for 365 V52-850 kW wind turbines for the 310 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya. The order is the largest in Vestas’ history in terms of number of wind turbines in a single wind farm project.
Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order in Kenya for 365 V52-850 kW turbines corresponding to 310 MW. The order was placed by Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd. and is expected to be Africa’s largest wind power plant when complete. The wind power plant will save Kenya approximately EUR 150m in fuel imports every year.
The order comprises supply, installation, and commissioning of the wind turbines as well as a 15-year Active Output Management (AOM 4000) service agreement. The logistically complex project is expected to be complete in 2017.
“We are very pleased to continue this great journey with Vestas as we progress toward our aim of reducing Kenya’s need for hydro and expensive fossil fuel-based power generation. We want to ensure that Kenya has access to low and consistent power prices, and with the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, we can do that,” says Mugo Kibati, Chairman of Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd.
“Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd. has made a historic commitment to a clean energy future for Kenya, and we are very proud to play an active role in bringing to life Africa’s largest wind power plant,” says Christoph Vogel, President of Vestas Central Europe. “Eastern and southern Africa are key markets for Vestas, and the Lake Turkana project will establish Kenya among the continent’s wind energy leaders.”
Ideal for wind power
With average wind speeds in excess of 11 m/s, the Lake Turkana project will add 310 MW of clean, reliable electricity capacity to the Kenyan national grid. The project will generate more than 1,400 GWh of power per year, equivalent to approximately 15 per cent of the country’s current electricity consumption. Located approximately 1,200 km from the Kenyan port of Mombasa and requiring the building more than 420 km of transmission lines to reach the Kenyan national electricity grid, the Lake Turkana project is expected to become Africa’s largest wind farm upon completion.
The project site is at an elevation of 450m, near the shore of Lake Turkana. The area around the site has a unique geographical phenomenon with strong, predictable wind streams between the desert hinterland and Lake Turkana. The project site was selected for its world-class wind resources as well as its sparse population.
Learn more about Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd. by visiting www.ltwp.co.ke
Vestas has installed wind turbines in several African countries including Cape Verde, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa, the latter of which is the largest wind market in Africa. Vestas holds a leading position in South Africa with more than 140 MW already installed. Vestas also installed 14 V52-850 kW turbines in Kenya in 2009.
Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. Wind power from Vestas’ more than 52,700 turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by more than 60 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence. Today, Vestas operates in 73 countries, providing jobs for over 19,300 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world. With 52 per cent more megawatts installed than our closest competitor and more than 64 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide, Vestas is the world leader in wind energy.
