Kenya’s proposed High Grand Falls hydropower project moved a step closer to development this week after the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Opiyo Wandayi, conducted a site inspection alongside senior executives from Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).
The planned project, with an installed capacity of 700MW, is located within the Seven Forks Cascade on the Tana River system. KenGen said the development is expected to strengthen long-term power supply and provide additional downstream flood regulation benefits for the cascade.
According to the utility, High Grand Falls hydropower project aligns with national plans to expand low-cost renewable generation capacity to support industrial growth and rising electricity demand.
KenGen Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Peter Njenga described the project as a strategic national investment and confirmed that KenGen will lead implementation. “Today marks the beginning of an important and transformative journey,” Njenga said. “I wish to thank the Government of Kenya, through our parent Ministry, for the confidence placed in KenGen and for the continued support extended to our mandate.”
During the site visit, Wandayi acknowledged KenGen’s management of hydropower resources amid reduced reservoir inflows linked to below-average rainfall in several catchment areas. “I am impressed by KenGen’s professional approach to water resource management and their commitment to ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to the country,” Wandayi said.
KenGen provided operational data for the Seven Forks system, reporting that as of January 21, 2026, the Masinga reservoir stood at 1,053.04m above sea level. This level is 3.04m below full supply level of 1,056.5m and above the minimum operating level of 1,037m. The company said all hydropower plants in the cascade remain structurally sound and fully operational.
Njenga said hydropower continues to provide Kenya’s lowest-cost electricity generation and has contributed to tariff stability during periods of hydrological variability. He added that KenGen’s diversified generation portfolio, including geothermal, wind, thermal, and additional hydropower facilities, continues to supply the national grid reliably.
