Kenya: President Ruto Commissions Fully Energised KES 4 Billion KETRACO 400/220kV Mariakani Substation

Kenya’s President, William Samoei Ruto, has commissioned the fully energised 400/220kV Mariakani Substation located in Kilifi County, developed by Kenya Electricity Transmission Company.

The project was funded through a partnership between the Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank at a total cost of KES 4 billion and executed by China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd under the supervision of KETRACO engineers.

The Mariakani Substation, which is regarded as the most strategic power substation in the Coast region, forms a critical gateway linking the Coast to Nairobi through the national transmission grid.

The project will significantly strengthen electricity transmission capacity while advancing the Government’s Vision 2030 agenda of achieving 100 percent renewable energy.

For decades, the Coast region has heavily relied on expensive thermal generation to meet its electricity demand due to limited renewable energy generation within the region.

Following the energisation of the Mariakani Substation and associated transmission infrastructure in December 2025, thermal power generation at the Coast has reduced drastically from 100MW to 35MW, representing a 65 percent reduction in reliance on fossil fuel-based energy.

Originally developed as a 220kV facility, the Mariakani Substation has now been upgraded to 400kV, greatly improving power quality, reliability and transmission efficiency across the Coast region, while enabling the region to draw more power from Olkaria and the Suswa Substation, a major national and regional switching centre.

The enhanced capacity is expected to support rapid industrialisation, investment growth and the expansion of Kenya’s Blue Economy initiatives.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Monday, May 25, 2026, President Ruto reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to accelerating Kenya’s transition to clean and sustainable energy.

“My Government is committed to adopting innovative, clean and sustainable energy technologies that will drive economic growth while protecting our environment. Projects such as the Mariakani Substation are critical in strengthening our national grid, expanding access to reliable electricity and advancing Kenya’s vision of achieving 100 percent clean energy,” said President Ruto.

The substation forms part of the Nairobi–Mombasa Transmission Line designed to carry more than 1,000MW of electricity between the two regions while easing pressure on the Coast’s power network.

“The Mariakani transmission infrastructure has significantly reduced the Coast region’s reliance on expensive diesel-powered electricity generation by enabling efficient transfer of power between Nairobi and Mombasa through the 400kV Mariakani–Isinya double-circuit transmission line. The project has also improved voltage stability and enhanced overall power quality across the region, resulting in a more reliable and efficient electricity supply for homes, businesses and industries,” said Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias, Acting Managing Director of KETRACO.