GEOTHERMAL POWER

Kenya is currently the largest producer of geothermal energy in Africa. It is one of

two countries in Africa that produce geothermal energy this also includes Ethiopia.
In 2010, geothermal accounted for almost 20 percent of Kenya's total electricity
generation. The country has the potential to produce 10,000 megawatts of
geothermalpowered electricity, according to Kenya's stateowned !eothermal
"e#elopment $ompany. Total renewa%le energy capacity is at &0'.(ith most of that
coming from )ydro*ower.
OLKARIA II POWER STATION
+l,aria II *ower -tation is Africa.s largest !eothermal *ower -tation. It generates
/00( and is the second geothermal plant owned and operated %y Ken!en. The
second phase of +l,aria II was commissioned in 2010 in1ecting an e2tra 34 0( of
power ma,ing a total of 1400( of power produced through geothermal means.
The *ower -tation is situated in 5a,uru county in the north eastern sector of the
greater +l,aria geothermal 6eld. The plant was designed and constructed with an
ad#antage of newer technology7 this stateoftheart plant is highly e8cient in
steam utili9ation
Geothermal concept
:asically the heat transfer from the magma heats the impermea%le roc, through
conduction. This super heated roc, then transfers it.s heat energy to the cold water
stored in the permea%le water ta%le a;uifer generating steam and super heated
water. -team and hot water then escape from the reser#oir through fault lines in
the caproc, <Insulating properties=. It is at this point the well is drilled to tap the
super heated steam that is trying to escape. +l,aria wells were drilled %etween
1>?& and 1>>3. The drilling is %etween 24003400m a%o#e sea le#el.
After drilling the steam is con#eyed in a well sealed pipe to the steam tur%ine. The
dry and super heated steam from well is fed to the tur%ine %y means of a main
#al#e. The tur%ines are single @ow si2 stage condensing with direct contact s pray
1et condenser. The 1et condenser has a pressure of 0.0/4 %ars. The steam @ows to
the tur%ine at rate of />00 cu%ic metre per hour. "ue to the stri,ing or reaction
impact of the steam on the %lades of tur%ine it starts rotating i.e., heat energy is
con#erted to mechanical energy. The e2cess steam is remo#ed through the #ent
house. +l,aria uses single @ash plant cycle with a steam consumption of /.4
tonAhourA0(. After gi#ing heat energy to the tur%ine the steam is e2hausted to a
condenser which condenses the e2hausted steam %y means of a cold water
circulation in the cooling tower. +nce steam has %een cooled it is the channeled into
an in1ection well for ma2imum utili9ation.
The steam tur%ine shaft is coupled to a generator. The shaft runs at speed of
3000rpm for power generation. The alternator con#erts the mechanical energy into
electrical energy. The electrical output is transferred to the %us %ars through
transformer, circuit %rea,er and isolators. The power generated is transmitted to the
national grid #ia 220 ,#a dou%le circuit line
Schematic of Olkaria II poer plant