Deadline for submissions to undertake the feasibility study is 20 July.
The feasibility study will establish the technical, financial, economic, social and environmental viability of the proposed project. Specific outputs also include estimating the cost, prelim design, construction schedule
The run-of-river plant would be built on the Tana river and be the latest on the Seven Forks cascade. The plant is wanted to exploit the residual head between the Kindaruma and Kiambere plants.
Upstream of the project site, the 40MW (2 x 20MW) Kindaruma plant was built in the 1960s. It was the first major power station in the country following independence. Plans are underway for installing a third generating unit, space for which was provided in the original construction project.
The 144MW (2 x 72MW) Kiambere plant was built in the 1980s, and each unit is being upgraded by 12MW to take the total installed capacity to 168MW.
Other plants in the cascade include 40MW Masinga, 94MW Kamburu and 225MW Gitaru facilities. In total, the cascade had the potential for 11 plants, said KenGen, including possible facilities at Mutonga, Low Grand Falls, Usheni, Adamsons Falls and Kora.
KenGen is 70% state owned and has a total installed generation capacity of just over 1GW. It said it controls approximately 80% of the energy sales market in the country.
