GDC’s formation is as a result of the enactment of the Energy Act No. 12 of 2006, after the adoption of Sessional Paper No. 4 on Energy in 2004 that unbundled the country’s energy sector into five sub-sectors: generation, transmission, distribution, regulation and policy. GDC is in the generation sub-sector.
GDC is tasked with developing steam fields and selling geothermal steam for electricity generation to Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) and private investors.
Geothermal steam is an environmentally friendly and abundant raw material used for generating electricity. Once the steam is captured, it is used to turn a turbine which leads to production of power.
The Government of Kenya and several development partners have been financing geothermal exploration and drilling.
To develop 1,065MW of geothermal resources by 2030
Lowering the cost of power in Kenya
Integrity
Professionalism
Removing upfront risks, and reducing costs through infrastructural development, exploration works and production drilling
Promoting direct uses of geothermal resources
Developing human capacity for geothermal development
Supporting Government of Kenya in fund mobilization
Supporting private sector entry and sell steam to power producers
Early power generation through installation of well head generating units
GDC incorporated as a special purpose vehicle to accelerate development of geothermal resources in Kenya
GDC opened its offices, recruited staff and commenced drilling operations in the Olkaria geothermal field to avail steam for KenGen
Acquired our first two (2) high capacity drilling rigs
Discharged the first well at the Menengai Geothermal Project, MW-01, proving the presence of steam in the field. The well has a capacity of 12.5MW
Received support from our partners to develop the Menengai Geothermal Project
• Feasibility study for
the power plant at the
Menengai Geothermal
Project commissioned.
• GDC invited bids from
Independent Power
Producers (IPPs) for power
plant development for the
Menengai Phase I Project
• Struck a 30 MW well
(MW-1A) at the Menengai Geothermal Project
• Acquired three (3)
additional high capacity
drilling rigs.
• Three IPPs competitively selected and
awarded contract each to construct
35MW power plant for the Menengai
Phase I Project.
• Launched Direct Use pilot projects
at Menengai which include a
geothermal-powered dairy unit,
geothermal-powered laundromat,
geothermal-heated fish pond and
geothermal-heated greenhouse.
Within the FY 2015/2016, earned revenue from steam sales worth approximately KShs. 3B from the Olkaria Geothermal Project in Naivasha
Completed construction of 25 km of additional access road and carried out maintenance of the already existing road network in the Baringo-Silali geothermal project area
• Completed construction of the
Steam Gathering System (SGS) in the
Menengai Geothermal Project.
• Carried out the first rig
mobilization to Paka Prospect in
the Baringo - Silali Geothermal
Project to commence drilling
operations.
• International partnerships: Carried
out capacity building consultancy
program for a team from the
Djibouti Office for Geothermal
Development (ODDEG).
• Africa Geothermal Centre of
Excellence (AGCE) approved 32
instructors from GDC staff to
give training in various areas of
expertise at the GDC’s Centre of
Excellence.
• Grain dryer for Direct
Use demonstration was
installed and tested.
Testing was successfully
done using wheat and
maize.
• Water supply
system installed and
commissioned in Baringo - Silali Geothermal Project
• Finished exploration drilling at Paka prospect
• Started Korosi prospect drilling
• The Steam Gathering System (SGS) commissioned on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at the Menengai Geothermal Project
• Success in coil tubing exercise on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at the Menengai Geothermal Project