| Abstract |
The Olkaria III geothermal project is the first private geothermal project in Kenya. The Power Purchase Agreement was awarded by Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) under a World Bank supervised international tender for the field and power plant development. The field development is a combined effort of ORMAT and some of the leading geothermal engineering groups worldwide. In parallel with the field development, ORMAT has constructed on a fast track, an ôearly generationö binary power plant using ORMAT« Energy Converters (OECs) which helped to meet the power demand, which was in short supply at the time in Kenya. It also enabled testing of old and new wells for a longer period of time and continuous updating of the field parameters during the conceptual design and detailed engineering phases of the project. Phase I of the project has been completed. The plant is producing 12.5 MWE with an availability of 100% at a 96% load factor over the last 3 years. The field was fully developed to support an output of 64 MWE Gross (58 MWE Net) meeting KPLCÆs requirements for a nominated total net capacity of 48 MWE for the power plant (to be reached at the completion of Phase II). |