Kenya’s installed geothermal capacity has surpassed 1 GW following a 70 MW addition at Menengai, while renewables accounted for 81.13% of domestic electricity generation in FY2025/26.
Kenya geothermal capacity has surpassed 1 GW following the addition of 70 MW at the Menengai geothermal field, while renewable sources accounted for 81.13% of domestic electricity generation in the 2025/26 financial year, according to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
The two new 35 MW plants at Menengai increased Kenya’s installed geothermal capacity from 943.7 MW to 1,013.7 MW. The milestone comes as geothermal remains the country’s largest source of domestic electricity generation, according to EPRA’s Energy & Petroleum Statistics Report 2026.
Renewable dominate Kenya’s electricity generation
Kenya generated 15,692.81 GWh of electricity during the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of 8.44% from the previous year. Renewable sources accounted for 81.13% of domestic generation and 81.16% of installed generating capacity, EPRA reported.
Geothermal plants produced 6,420.51 GWh during the year, up from 5,718.16 GWh in 2024/25. Geothermal’s share of domestic electricity generation rose from 39.51% to 40.91%, representing an increase of approximately 12.3% in annual output.
Hydropower generated 3,554.31 GWh, equivalent to 22.65% of domestic generation, while wind contributed 1,931.72 GWh, or 12.31%.
Together, geothermal, hydro power and wind accounted for 75.87% of domestic electricity generation. The figures highlight geothermal’s importance within a diversified renewable-energy mix that also relies on hydro power and wind.
Menengai adds to geothermal capacity
The additional 70 MW increased Kenya’s installed geothermal capacity by approximately 7.4%. The two plants were developed by Globeleq and OrPower Twenty-Two, according to The Standard’s report on the projects. OrPower Twenty-Two is owned by Kaishan Renewable Energy, part of the Kaishan Group, which may explain why some reports refer to Kaishan in connection with the new capacity.
Installed capacity, however, does not indicate how much electricity a plant produces over a given period. Actual generation depends on plant availability and operating conditions, making annual output an important measure of geothermal’s contribution to the national grid.
Rising demand puts supply in focus
Kenya’s electricity demand also increased during the reporting period. EPRA recorded a peak demand of 2,514.28 MW on 29 June 2026, an increase of 8.55% from the previous year.
Electricity imports accounted for 12.19% of supply, while interconnected thermal plants represented 8.34%. EPRA reported that clean energy sources, including imports, accounted for 91.65% of total electricity supplied during the year.
These figures show that Kenya’s power system is expanding while retaining a substantial renewable-energy component. Geothermal provides a significant source of domestic generation alongside hydropower and wind, but rising demand means that installed capacity must translate into electricity that is available when needed.
As Kenya expands its renewable-energy base, grid infrastructure, system flexibility and the integration of additional generation will remain important considerations for electricity planning. The 1 GW milestone marks a significant increase in geothermal capacity, while the annual generation figures underline the technology’s existing contribution to Kenya’s electricity supply.
