Geothermal Development Company

Geothermal Development Company
Agency overview
Formed 2008
Jurisdiction Kenya
Headquarters Red Cross Road, Nairobi
Agency executive
Website Homepage

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC), whose full name is Geothermal Development Company Limited, is a wholly owned parastatal of the government of Kenya. It is mandated to execute surface geothermal development, including prospecting, drilling, harnessing and selling steam to electricity generating companies for energy production and sale to the national grid.[2]

Location

The headquarters of GDC are located in the capital city of Nairobi, on Red Cross Road, in the neighborhood known as South C. The coordinates of GDC's headquarters are: 1°19'32.0"S, 36°49'56.0"E (Latitude:-1.325558; Longitude:36.832222).[3]

Overview

In 2006, Kenya enacted the Energy Act No. 12 of 2006. The energy sector was unbundled into 5 sub-sectors: (a) generation (b) transmission (c) distribution (d) regulation and (e) policy. The country was heavily dependent on hydroelectric energy from the time of independence until the early 2000s. Due to unpredictable rainfall patterns, the levels of the country's rivers fell and Kenya underwent a marked reduction in electricity output in the 2003 to 2006 time frame.[2]

The country has vast undeveloped geothermal potential along the Rift Valley, in excess of 10,000 MW. As at 2012, only 212.5MW of geothermal power was contributed to the national electric grid. As a response to these realities and to fulfill a pledge to install 5,000 MW of electricity by the year 2030, the Kenya Government, in 2008 incorporated Geothermal Development Company to carry out rapid geothermal exploration and drilling to allow independent power producers (IPPs) to build power stations and not only increase but diversify the national electricity grid.[2]

Outside development partners have offered help.[4] GDC has plans to develop academic courses in geothermal energy at Kenyan universities, starting with courses at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.[5]

Recent developments

In November 2015, seven senior managers at GDC were terminated due to tendering irregularities. In August 2016, replacements for those terminated executives were advertised.[6] In the 12 months ending 30 June 2015, the agency is reported to have made an aftertax profit of KES:1.6 billion (USD:16 million).[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Omondi, George (8 May 2016). "Baringo land deal paves the way for 3,000MW geothermal generation". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Omenda, Peter (2012). "Geothermal Development in Kenya: A Country Update - 2012" (PDF). Geothermal-energy.org. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Google (6 April 2016). "Location of the Headquarters of Geothermal Development Company" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  4. ↑ EFIK (11 April 2011). "France and Kenya sign agreement for geothermal development in Kenya". Nairobi: Embassy of France in Kenya (EFIK). Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Waruru, Maina (14 November 2014). "Africa Opens Its First Geothermal Energy Research Center for Workforce Development". Renewableenergyworld.com. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Herbling, David (24 August 2016). "Geothermal agency opens search for new chiefs after shake-up". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  7. ↑ Herbling, David (30 September 2016). "Geothermal Development's turn to profit tilts energy mix". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
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