Adani Energy Solutions Limited has signed a deal with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) to finance, develop, operate, and maintain key power transmission lines in Kenya.
The Sh95.7 billion agreement involves the construction of 388 kilometers of critical high-voltage lines across the country. Under the deal, the Indian conglomerate will maintain the earmarked transmission lines for 30 years before handing the infrastructure to KETRACO.
The deal was confirmed on Friday by the Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, saying that it will improve national electricity infrastructure and ensure reliable access to power.
Under the agreement, the project will be fully funded and financed by Adani, with the company raising funds through debt and equity. CS Wandayi reiterated that the Kenyan government would not incur financial costs.
“This project will empower communities, create job opportunities, and stimulate economic activity at the grassroots level in different parts of the country,” Wandayi further noted.
Adani-KETRACO deal marks Kenya’s shift to the Private Public Partnership model as a strategy to fast-track priority and capital-intensive projects. However, the deal has attracted opposition due to concerns about the lack of transparency and public participation. A Mobasa-based lobbying organization has moved to court to challenge the government’s decision to award the deal to Adani Solutions Limited.
This significant development comes as the Indian conglomerate Adani Group is pursuing to secure other deals involving key infrastructure projects, including the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The proposal to hand over JKIA to Adani has attracted severe public backlash due to corruption allegations.
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