South Sudan to draw electricity from Kenya in exchange for gas

President Uhuru Kenyatta receives his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir at State House, Nairobi. Photo/SAMUEL KARIUKI

Kenya and South Sudan are working on a deal to address acute shortage of electricity in the latter. Under the deal, Kenya will offer electricity from geothermal in exchange for gas from the tens of oil fields in South Sudan.

The revelations were made yesterday when visiting South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his delegation visited the geothermal rich Olkaria in Naivasha.

During the visit, it emerged that South Sudan was in dire need of electricity in oil fields where current was inadequate.  According to Energy Cabinet secretary Charles Keter works were underway to construct transmission lines to Lodwar which neighbours Sudan.

According to Keter, Kenya would use the transmission lines to supply electricity to the neighbouring country which was currently engaged in various development projects.

Oil fields

“We are engaging our brothers from South Sudan so that Kenya can have gas from its oil fields in exchange for electricity,” he said.

He revisited the announcement that the Kenyan government would donates ten acres to the Sudanese for a construction of an industrial park in Naivasha. He said geothermal power and steam from Olkaia would be used in the industries to be located in the park.

Power production

“The land donated to South Sudan government is located around the geothermal fields in Olkaria and electricity generated from the region will come in handy in the park,” he said.

On his part, South Sudan Minister for Petroleum Daniel Awou said that his country faced many challenges in power production. He pointed to the oil fields in the war ravaged country as areas that needed more electricity so that they could supply more oil.

“We are ready to partner with Kenya in terms of geothermal exploration and supply as currently the demand for electricity in our country is higher than supply,” he said.

Awou said that his country had been involved in oil drilling for the last 25 years adding that there was need to explore other source of energy like geothermal.

Kengen chief executive Rebecca Miano said that studies had proven that South Sudan had the capacity to produce 400 megawatts of geothermal power adding Kenya was ready to support its neighbour.