Silver Lining: Heavy Rains Cut Power Costs, Says Kengen

Mr Njenga was speaking at the 12th G2G Innovation Seminar in Kisumu alongside Kengen Chairman Julius Migos Ogamba.

Mr Njenga's comments come at a time when the country is experiencing heavy rains that have caused flooding, death and destruction.

There are also growing fears that some dams may burst, causing more deaths.

But for Kengen, the dams have helped to manage rising water levels in most rivers, reducing the impact of flooding, especially downstream of the Tana River.

Mr Njenga noted that the Turkwel Dam is far from reaching its maximum capacity, so there is no cause for alarm for the people living around it.

The dam is far from reaching its maximum height of 1,150 metres above sea level as it stands at 136 metres.

At present, the major hydroelectric dams in the Seven Forks have reached full supply capacity and now hold a combined volume of more than 2.6 billion cubic metres against a total flow of the Tana River estimated at five billion cubic metres.

This means that the Seven Forks dams hold the bulk of the water flowing from River Tana, way more than half the volume, which would otherwise be flooding areas downstream of the Dams thereby reducing the damage caused by the ongoing rains, said Mr Ogamba.

In light of recent events, Mr Ogamba said the importance of prudent water planning cannot be overstated.

We are particularly excited about the project to raise Masinga Dam by 1.5 meters, a move that will significantly enhance water management capabilities while addressing our growing energy needs, said Mr Ogamba.

Mr Ogamba said the company was also in the process of expanding Gogo Power Station in the heart of Migori County from the current 2MW to 8.6MW.

The company is currently exploring new avenues to support the renewable energy agenda and ensure reliable power at minimum environmental cost through its Green Energy Park initiative by partnering with entities such as Konza Technopolis to attract industrial investors to benefit from sustainable and affordable energy solutions.

According to Mr Ogamba, the construction of the first 100 per cent green data centre is already underway, with plans for scalability to meet future demand.