Our Story

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.

MISSION

To develop 1,065MW of geothermal resources by 2030

VISION

Lowering the cost of power in Kenya

VALUES

Integrity
Professionalism

Our Mandate

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

MILESTONES

2008
Start

GDC incorporated as a special purpose vehicle to accelerate development of geothermal resources in Kenya

2009
Offices & Staff

GDC opened its offices, recruited staff and commenced drilling operations in the Olkaria geothermal field to avail steam for KenGen

2010
Rigs

Acquired our first two (2) high capacity drilling rigs

2011
First Well

Discharged the first well at Menengai, MW-01, proving the presence of steam in the field. The well has a capacity of 12.5MW

2012
Support

Received support from our partners to develop the Menengai Geothermal Project

2013
Feasibility

• 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

2014
30MW

• Struck a 30 MW well (MW-1A) at Menengai
• Acquired three (3) additional high capacity drilling rigs.

2015
Direct Use

• 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.

2016
Revenue

Within the FY 2015/2016, earned revenue from steam sales worth approximately KShs. 3B from the Olkaria Geothermal Project in Naivasha

2017
North Rift

Completed construction of 25 km of additional access road and carried out maintenance of the already existing road network in the BogoriaSilali geothermal project area

2018
Steam Gathering System

• Completed construction of the Steam Gathering System (SGS) in the Menengai Geothermal Project.
• Carried out the first rig mobilization to Paka Prospect in the Bogoria- 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.

2019
Grain Dryer

• 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 BogoriaSilali Geothermal Project

2020
Drilling in Paka and Korosi

• Finished exploration drilling at Paka
• Started Korosi drilling
• Steam Gathering System (SGS) commissioned
• Success in coil tubing exercise

2021
Successful well discharge

• Paka well 3 (PW-03) successfully discharged