The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, alongside the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), on Wednesday hosted French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, for a high-profile site visit to the National System Control Centre (NSCC) in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Minister Soilihi was received by Principal Secretary for Energy Mr. Alex Wachira, CBS, and KETRACO Managing Director and CEO, Dr. (Eng.) John Mativo. The visit underscored the deepening partnership between Kenya and France in strengthening the country’s power infrastructure and advancing the energy transition agenda.
The NSCC project is being developed with a budget of €82.7 million (approximately KES 12 billion), fully financed through French concessional funding. The French Development Agency (AFD) has extended a €48.6 million sovereign loan, complemented by a €34.1 million concessional loan from the French Treasury. The project is being executed by a consortium comprising GE Vernova and Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
This state-of-the-art control center is a flagship component of the AFD’s broader RETNET programme (€94 million), which also includes a digital substation in Makindu, the Nairobi Ring completion, technical assistance, and energy sector studies.
Designed to modernize Kenya’s electricity transmission grid, the NSCC will improve grid stability, minimize outages, and allow for more efficient integration of renewable energy sources. It is expected to yield substantial environmental, social, and economic benefits boosting energy reliability, reducing dependence on diesel generators, and enhancing access to electricity across the country.
The project also benefits from a €7 million grant from the European Union, channeled through AFD, to support capacity building in grid management, primarily for KETRACO staff.
French Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Arnaud Suquet, reaffirmed France’s commitment to Kenya’s sustainable development, noting that Kenya hosts AFD’s largest energy portfolio in East Africa, with over €1 billion in financing.
The NSCC stands as a testament to the enduring Kenya-France partnership in sustainable infrastructure and climate-focused energy development.
