By Kipkemoi Kibias
In my 21 years of experience in the energy sector, I have often been asked what it feels like to deliver major electricity infrastructure projects. My answer has always been the same: it is an immense responsibility.
Behind every power line, substation, and grid network are people whose lives and livelihoods depend directly on reliable and efficient electricity — businesses striving to remain productive, hospitals delivering critical medical services, and students relying on sufficient energy to support their studies late into the night.
Our work is ultimately about improving lives, creating opportunities, and powering national progress.
The commissioning of the 400/220kV Mariakani Substation in Kilifi marks a major milestone for Kenya’s Coastal region. For decades, the region has endured unstable and costly electricity supply caused by inadequate transmission infrastructure and dependence on diesel-powered generation plants in Kipevu and Rabai.
The existing transmission network has frequently experienced overloads, limiting its ability to provide sufficient and stable power to meet the region’s growing demand.
During system breakdowns or scheduled maintenance shutdowns, the region faced prolonged outages and voltage fluctuations that disrupted homes, businesses, hospitals, institutions, and critical public services.
These persistent challenges hindered the region’s growth. The Coast has enormous economic, industrial, and tourism potential. However, reliable electricity — the foundation of investment and development — could not keep pace with the region’s expanding needs. The Mariakani Substation was developed to change this reality, and its impact was immediate.
Thermal generation along the Coast dropped from 100MW to 35MW immediately after commissioning — a 65 percent reduction in diesel-generated power in a single day. This transition significantly lowered reliance on expensive and environmentally harmful thermal generation while improving the stability of electricity supply across Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Lamu, Taita Taveta, and Tana River counties.
The substation now enables the direct evacuation of clean energy from Olkaria’s geothermal plants, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, and hydropower imports from Ethiopia. This translates into fewer power outages, more reliable electricity, and a stronger foundation for economic growth.
The project also supports the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by strengthening the infrastructure needed for industrial growth.
To support this vision, KETRACO is finalizing plans for a transmission line connecting the Mariakani Substation to the Dongo Kundu corridor, further reinforcing the Coast’s role as a strategic energy and industrial hub.
The Mariakani Substation is a key component of Kenya’s growing transmission network. It complements critical national and regional projects, including the Olkaria–Lessos–Kisumu line, Longonot–Suswa–Isinya line, the Ethiopia–Kenya 500HVDC interconnector, and the Isinya–Lemugur transmission line linking Kenya and Tanzania.
Together, these projects strengthen the national grid, enhance system reliability, and position Kenya as a key player in regional power trade through cross-border electricity exchange.
Mariakani is more than a substation. It is part of a long-term strategic national investment in a stronger, cleaner, and more resilient electricity system capable of supporting Kenya’s future growth.
In line with the President’s vision of achieving 10,000MW of electricity demand, KETRACO remains committed to expanding and strengthening the national transmission network to improve the quality, reliability, and security of electricity supply across the country.
At KETRACO, our mission is not simply to build transmission infrastructure. It is to connect Kenyans to opportunity, growth, and national progress.
Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias is the Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO).
