The Ministry of Regional Development Authorities of Kenya has planned to build a new hydro-electric power generating station along River Yala in Western Kenya. The new station is a part of the proposed Nandi Multipurpose Dam Development Project. If completed, the station is projected to generate up to 50 megawatts of electricity. The authority is looking for consultancy services for technical assistance in carrying out feasibility studies and a detailed design of the project.
The consultancy services, for 18 months, will be divided into two phases.
The first includes a feasibility study, preliminary design and social, and environmental impact assessment.
After submitting a report for review, the second phase will be a detailed design of the dam and hydro power plant in addition to preparation of tender documents.
The ministry said the results of the study will be used by the Government of Kenya to mobilize the required resources for its implementation under the medium term plans of Vision 2030.
The irrigation scheme covering 17,000 hectares of farmland and a fisheries project is another feature of the Nandi multipurpose dam development project.
The project will be located at the place where River Yala’s Romonde and Sirua tributaries converge from north of Kapsabet and Nandi Hills respectively.
River Yala covers 212 kilometres across Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley provinces and has a gross catchment area of 3262 square kilometres.
The ministry has reported that said the project is aimed at providing a large scale multi-purpose water reservoir that will cater for public and industrial water supply, irrigation, river regulation, flood control and power production.
The ministry further reported, “Other specific objectives are tourism, inter-basin water transfers, fisheries, silt load reduction and downstream ecosystem conservation and sustainability.”