Geothermal resources in Kenya are located within the Rift Valley and are associated with numerous young volcanic centers. The country has an estimated potential of about 10,000 MW of which about 823 MW has been installed. According to Kenya’s Least Cost Power Development Plan, geothermal power is expected to contribute 26% (or 5530 MW) of the total system peak demand by 2031. Turkana County lies within the Rift Valley and has potential for geothermal power. Two sites, Barrier Volcano and Namarunu have been identified as potential geothermal sites. Feasibility studies by the British Geological Survey (BGS) of the Barrier Volcano have indicated presence of a hydrothermal system, with significant high temperature resource area covering 60 km2 and subsurface temperatures of around 2810C and an estimated potential of 750MWe.
Barrier volcanic complex forms a whale back ridge that is 20 km long and 15 km wide, and consists of four distinct shield volcanoes: Kaloleyang, Kakorinya, Likaiu East, Likaiu West.
Olsuswa Energy has been granted a geothermal resource licence (No.1/2016) as per the Geothermal Act (1982) for the Barrier Volcanic Complex. The intended prospect covers 136 km2.
Figure 4-2: Location of geothermal resources in Kenya (Kenya Renewable Energy Portal)
[1] Kenya Power (2020) Annual report and financial statements, Nairobi, Kenya.
[2] Olsuswa Energy Website, our Project-Barrier Volcanic Complex available at http://olsuswaenergy.com/#projects