Ethiopia, Kenya to enhance cooperation on energy sector

Ethiopia will enhance cooperation with Kenya on the energy sector, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on Friday during his three-day state visit to Kenya.

Desalegn toured Olkaria, the largest geothermal power plant in Africa located in Naivasha, about 90 km northwest of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

He said his government had entered into an energy pact with Kenya.

"I am impressed by the investment you (Kenya) have put in this plant, given that geothermal energy is clean, green and its carbon footprint on the environment is minimal," he said.

Desalegn said his visit would enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.

"We are specifically keen on the energy sector where both governments have expressed desire to increase collaboration to steer economic development," he told journalists.

Kenya's Energy Ministry Principal Secretary, Charles Keter, said Kenya was collaborating with Ethiopia in "electricity connection which will see Kenya benefit from 400 megawatts of hydro-power (from Ethiopia)."

He said the hydro-power from Ethiopia would be used mainly in border towns and that some towns were receiving power from Ethiopia.

Keter said the power deal signed between the two countries would see the construction of a 1,000 km power line that will run from Ethiopia to Kenya.

"Kenya will construct 600 km of the powerline while Ethiopia will work out on the rest and this project will be ready by 2018," he said. Endit