Vestas has received an order for 365 V52-850 kW turbines for the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya. The order is the largest in Vestas’ history in terms of number of wind turbines in a single project. The order was placed by Lake Turkana Wind Power.
The order comprises supply, installation and commissioning of the wind turbines as well as a 15-year Active Output Management (AOM 4000) service agreement. The logistically complex project is expected to be complete in 2017.
“We are very pleased to continue this great journey with Vestas as we progress toward our aim of reducing Kenya’s need for hydro and expensive fossil fuel-based power generation. We want to ensure that Kenya has access to low and consistent power prices, and with the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, we can do that”, says Mugo Kibati, chairperson of Lake Turkana Wind Power.
Photo courtesy of Vestas Wind Systems A/S
With average wind speeds in excess of 11 m/s, the Lake Turkana project will add 310MW of clean, reliable electricity capacity to the Kenyan national grid. The project will generate more than 1,400GWh of power per year, equivalent to approximately 15% of the country’s current electricity consumption. Located approximately 1,200km from Mombasa, the Lake Turkana project is expected to become Africa’s largest wind farm upon completion.
