The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) today hosted Thani Mohamed Soilihi, the French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships, for a site visit to the National System Control Centre (NSCC) project site in Embakasi, Nairobi.
The NSCC project, with a total budget of €82.7 million (Ksh. 12 Billion), is primarily financed through a €48.6 million concessional sovereign loan from the French Development Agency (AFD) and a €34.1 million concessional loan from the French Treasury. This funding has fuelled the design, supply, and installation of a dual-redundant national control system, significantly enhancing KETRACO’s capacity as the Transmission System Operator. The construction contract has been awarded to a consortium comprising GE Vernova and Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
Beyond the NSCC, the broader AFD RETNET program (€94 million), which the NSCC is part of, is also funding:
1. The development of a digital substation in Makindu.
2. Technical assistance for energy sector improvements.
3. Completion of ongoing works on the Nairobi Ring** transmission network.
4. Sectoral studies conducted by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
Furthermore, a €7 million grant from the European Union, delegated to AFD, is specifically allocated for capacity building in grid management, primarily benefiting KETRACO.
H.E. Henriette Geiger, European Union Ambassador to Kenya, highlighted that the new NSCC, coupled with other EU-supported initiatives like the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector, represents a crucial investment to enable cross-border energy trade, expand transmission capacity, and strengthen reliable power supply across Eastern and Southern Africa. This aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, aiming to mobilize up to €300 billion in public and private investments by 2027 for essential infrastructure across Africa.
Once completed by February 6, 2028, the NSCC will enable enhanced real-time grid supervision, automated electricity dispatching, reduced unscheduled power outages and transmission losses, and improved integration of renewable energy sources. It will also strengthen regional interconnector coordination and prepare Kenya for future electricity market operations, anchoring the nation’s transition to a more stable, efficient, and interconnected grid.