The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has unveiled an ambitious plan to more than triple its renewable energy generation target to 5,500 megawatts (MW), marking a significant shift in its long-term strategy as demand for clean energy continues to grow across Kenya and the region.
The announcement was made on Monday during the launch of the company’s first-ever Sustainability Report at Karura Forest in Nairobi, where KenGen also outlined its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance for the 2024/25 financial year.
The new target represents a major jump from the 1,500MW goal contained in the company’s G2G 2034 Corporate Strategy and is expected to cement KenGen’s position as one of Africa’s leading producers of renewable energy.
The following will be accomplished through substantial investments in various sources of clean energy such as 2,000MW from nuclear power and over 700MW from hydro and other geothermal developments.
While launching the report, the Managing Director and CEO of the firm Eng. Peter Njenga stated that the Sustainability Report marks the dawn of a new era at the firm. This report is a public commitment to transparency, responsibility and good business.
He further emphasized that the sustainability is no longer a corporate agenda but a part of investment, risk management and growth strategies of the firm.
“Through the report we have captured a defining moment in the history of KenGen. The Sustainability Report is not just another corporate report but rather a public commitment to transparency, accountability and responsible business,” he said.
These plans were supported by the Government through the Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira who noted that KenGen has created an enabling environment for investors to access cost effective renewable energy and grow their industries.
According to Wachira, reliable green energy has become a key driver of manufacturing, employment creation and investment.
“This is a practical demonstration of how energy can move beyond powering homes to powering factories, creating jobs, attracting investment and strengthening Kenya’s manufacturing base,” he said.
Principal Secretary Environment and Climate Change Eng. Festus Ngeno appreciated the company’s new drive in renewable energy, stating that the shift of Kenya to a low carbon economy is reliant on institutions that innovate but are environmentally and socially accountable.
He stated that the sustainability report of the company shows the type of leadership that will see Kenya attain its climate change goals and developmental goals.
Apart from showing future plans, the report has highlighted the success of the company in the past financial year.
KenGen has retained a renewable energy dispatch rate of 94.4 percent and has produced 6.9 million carbon credits with its carbon intensity being one of the lowest in the continent.
In addition to this, the company has grown 887,220 tree seedlings and restored 850 hectares of degraded land.
Socially, the company has been offering scholarships to 237 students and allocating 69 percent of procurement opportunities, which were worth KSh10.01 billion, to the locals.
Today, over 90 percent of installed generation capacity of 1,786MW is generated using renewable energy.
