A solar plant. PHOTO | FILE
Kesses Solar Power Project is a 40MW solar power plant in Eldoret, about one kilometre east of Eldosol Solar Power Station and Radiant Solar Power Station.
Also known as Alten Solar Power Station, the Eldoret solar power plant has been underway since December 2018 – with works set for completion this year.
The entire ground-mounted solar project spreads over an area of 250 acres.
Project details
The power generation component of the Kesses Solar Power Project covers a surface area of about 10 hectares, which will enable it to produce about 123.6GWh/year of clean energy – enough to power about 824,000 homes.
The power plant will be made up of more than 161,000 monocrystalline panels set into solar single-axis trackers on 250 acres (about 100 hectares).
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The Eldoret solar power plant will connect to the 230 kV power transmission line between Turkwel hydroelectric plant and Lessos substation.
Alten is developing a similar project – Kesses 2 – in the same area, with a capacity of 40 MW, linked to a 132 kV transmission line that connects with Eldoret town.
The project awaits the onset of power purchase talks with Kenya Power.
Developers
Kesses Solar Power Station is owned by Alten Energías Renovables, a European power firm with two other solar plants in Kenya – Kesses 2 and Kopere Solar.
Construction work is being undertaken by Voltalia.
Development status
Ongoing construction.
Power purchase agreement
The power generated from the Kesses Solar Power Station will be sold to Kenya Power on a 20-year take-or-pay power purchase agreement.
Funding details
Kesses Solar Power Project is expected to cost $87 million.
The project is financed by the Standard Bank of South Africa, Stanbic, and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF).
Standard Bank is providing $41 million in debt comprising a term loan, Value Added Tax (VAT), and Debt Service Reserve facility.
On February 7, 2022, EAIF announced it had provided a $35 million loan over a 15-year term to finance the solar project.
The first instalment of the loan was released to Alten Kenya Solarfarms BV – the local subsidiary of Alten Group, in December 2021.
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Source: https://www.constructionkenya.com/10142/kesses-solar-power-project/