National Cement Company Ltd., a subsidiary of the prominent Devki Group led by Kenyan multimillionaire industrialist Narendra Raval, is embarking on an ambitious venture to establish a 60-megawatt (MW) wind power plant in West Pokot County.
The primary objective of this wind farm is to provide sustainable power to the cement factory located in its vicinity. This strategic move is aimed at curbing electricity costs and ultimately reducing the operational expenses of Raval’s conglomerate.
As part of its efforts to expedite the realization of the wind power plant, Devki, via the National Cement Company, renowned for its Simba Cement production, is actively seeking regulatory authorization to construct a wind farm in Sebit village.
In an official statement, the company announced: “Notice is hereby given that National Cement Company Limited, pursuant to the provisions of Section 117 of the Energy Act of 2019, will on July 27, 2023, make an application to the Energy Regulatory Authority for the energy generation license for 60 MW Waste Heat Recovery.”
The decision to establish the wind power plant, a strategic maneuver to cut operating costs, follows an earlier revelation by Raval.
In April of this year, Raval disclosed that his multifaceted steel manufacturing conglomerate, Devki Group, was incurring a staggering Ksh900 million ($6.7 million) monthly expenses to Kenya Power for electricity consumption.
Raval elaborated that the monthly financial outlay of his company amounted to Ksh2 billion ($14.9 million), encompassing disbursements not only for a workforce of approximately 11,000 employees but also for various utility bills, including electricity, which fluctuated between Ksh700 million ($5.2 million) and Ksh900 million ($6.7 million).
In an effort to address the burgeoning operating costs, the Kenyan industrialist has unveiled plans to construct a wind farm in Samburu, Kwale County.
This $1.9-million project is set to comprise 38 state-of-the-art wind turbines along with necessary auxiliary infrastructure, overhead power lines, and access points.
Notably, the generated power will be seamlessly integrated into the existing substation and power transmission grid within the premises of Devki Steel Mills Limited’s Samburu plant.
Upon successful completion, the wind power facility in Kwale County will emerge as Kenya’s fourth significant power plant, joining the ranks of other major installations, including the Kipeto Wind (100 megawatts), Lake Turkana Wind Power Plant (310 megawatts), and KenGen’s Ngong Wind Plant (26.1 megawatts).
