Five transmitter towers that were not working could have generated an over voltage that interfered and ultimately caused power tripping at the Lake Turkana Wind Power Plant in Laisamis, Marsabit County, resulting in the nationwide blackout that occurred last month.

In his appearance before the Senate plenary on Wednesday in Turkana County, Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir clarified the government's payment of Ksh.7 billion as compensation to the Lake Turkana Wind Power over KETRACO's delay in installing a transmitter inter connector line to Suswa.

The management of the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project first provided information on the inconsistent power voltage along the transmitter line between Kijabe and Mount Longonot during a site visit to the company by the Senate Energy Committee on Monday.


“We are investigating the five towers that went down between Kijabe and Mt Longonot to ensure if it was as a result of poor workmanship. I have asked KETRACO to establish if it’s the contractor to take liability for poor workmanship,” said CS Chirchir.

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"There was a serious voltage overloading," stated Lake Turkana Wind Power advisor Fazal. We did not bring on the blackout. The national supply grid's excess electricity was what set off our expedition.

The Parliamentary watchdog sought explanations as to how the government ended up paying Lake Turkana Wind Power a total of 46 million Euros (roughly Ksh.7.1 billion) in damages in 2017 because KETRACO took too long to enable a transmitter inter connector to distribute power from the plant to Suswa.


“Lake Turkana was ready in September 2017 but connector came 422 days later. Lake Turkana was entitled to payment when generation was ready but connector wasn’t ready. Transmitter inter connector delay amounted to Ksh.127 million but the government entered into an agreement with Lake Turkana,” stated CS Chirchir.

The parliamentarians questioned the CS about why the host and neighboring counties could not benefit from the electricity generated by the Lake Turkana Wind Power facility.

We are constructing lines in Turkana and Marsabit, Chirchir stated. The money is already prepared. We'll see to it that resource-producing communities profit.

The Senate evaluates vital energy infrastructure during its week-long Senate Mashinani plenary and committee sessions.