Kenya is integrating solar with hydropower at Seven Forks, where KenGen plans a 42.5 MW solar plant and battery system alongside existing hydro infrastructure.
Solar hydropower in Kenya is taking a new direction as the country prepares to add solar generation to one of its most important hydropower systems. The project will combine new renewable capacity with existing hydro infrastructure to increase flexibility in how electricity is generated.
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is developing a 42.5 MW solar photovoltaic plant at the Seven Forks hydropower complex, alongside a 3 MW/5 MWh battery energy storage system.The project is planned for Kamburu in Embu County, according to KenGen’s project information.
The project is not yet operational. KenGen has procured the consultant, while procurement of the design-and-build contractor remains ongoing.
Why Kenya is adding solar to hydropower?
KenGen says the solar plant will complement hydropower generation during the day and help conserve water for electricity generation at night, particularly during drought conditions, according to its announcement of the project and partnership with the French Development Agency.
The principle is straightforward. Solar generation can supply electricity during daylight hours without requiring additional water to pass through hydropower turbines at the same time.
Depending on electricity demand, grid conditions and reservoir-management decisions, operators could retain some water for generation later. This would give KenGen greater flexibility in deciding when to use its hydropower resources.
The approach could prove particularly useful during periods of low rainfall, when limited water availability can constrain hydropower generation.
Why Seven Forks?
The location makes the project particularly interesting.
Seven Forks is a cascade of hydropower stations along the Tana River system. It includes Masinga, Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere.
KenGen currently lists 825.69 MW of installed hydropower capacity across its generation portfolio, according to its hydropower information.
Masinga Reservoir sits at the upper end of the cascade. It has a storage capacity of approximately 1.56 billion cubic metres and covers around 120 square kilometres, according to KenGen.
The planned solar installation will therefore sit within an established electricity-generation area with existing hydropower infrastructure.
The site also offers strong solar conditions. KenGen reports solar irradiation above 2,034 kWh per square metre. The company expects the project to occupy approximately 80 hectares of its land, according to its Seven Forks project description.
Where does the battery fit?
The project also includes a 3 MW/5 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
Its capacity is considerably smaller than the planned 42.5 MW solar installation. KenGen identifies frequency services as the battery’s intended function, rather than large-scale storage of the solar plant’s daytime electricity for use at night.
The three components will therefore serve different purposes. Solar will add daytime generation, hydropower will provide controllable renewable electricity backed by stored water, and the battery will support short-term grid stability.
Procurement and financing
The project’s development status makes it relevant to companies following Kenya’s renewable-energy market.
KenGen has already procured the project consultant. However, the company still lists procurement of the design-and-build contractor as ongoing on its project page.
This makes the project worth monitoring for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors, equipment suppliers and other companies interested in Kenya’s solar and storage market.
The French Development Agency (AFD) is also supporting project development. KenGen announced the partnership in its project update.
How solar could change Kenya’s hydropower system
Kenya already has utility-scale solar generation. What makes the Seven Forks project different is the integration of solar with Kenya’s existing hydropower infrastructure, alongside a smaller battery system.
Rather than operating as a standalone solar development, the project will add generation and storage infrastructure within an established hydropower complex. It could give KenGen greater flexibility in managing its renewable resources, particularly when rainfall conditions affect water availability.
For developers and suppliers, the project is also worth watching before construction begins. Procurement of the design-and-build contractor remains ongoing, placing Seven Forks among the renewable-energy developments currently moving through Kenya’s project pipeline.
The Seven Forks project will add 42.5 MW of solar capacity and a 3 MW/5 MWh battery system alongside existing hydropower infrastructure, bringing the three technologies together within the same generation complex.
