The 430Km, 400kv transmission line will not only evacuate power from the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Power project, has a capacity to evacuate 1300MW and will also enhance communication in Northern Kenya as it carries a fiber optic cable for the entire length of the line.
The Loiyangalani - Suswa transmission line The transmission line has a total of 991 steel towers, each at 50 meters high. With two tower of 60 meters and 70 meters tall. Its the first DC transmission line in Africa.
The project was completed by the Consortium of NARI Group Corporation and Power China Guizhou Engineering Company Limited for the transmission line and SIEMENS for the substations in Loiyangalani and Suswa.
The transmission line is now complete and awaiting instrumentation testing before official commissioning by H. E the President at a date to be announced.
The line was not on schedule. It was started by spanish contractor Isolux Corsan who went banrupt and abandon the works which were again awarded to NARI to complete. Kenya was fined for not completing the line on time as per the agreement with LTWP.
This is not a DC line but it is a 400kV AC line. The DC line from Ethiopia at voltage level of 500kV is under construction.
Ps: i hear that ketraco had to string one side of the line (one phase) to beat the deadline-check photo No. 2. If this is indeed true, expect outtage on the line as they string the other circuit. Will we pay a fine during this time?
The single circuit remaining is only 10% of the entire stretch, and no,stringing of the second circuit shall be done with the first energized.Even KPLC currently do live line maintenance.
I agree live line maintenance is happening at kp…but have they strung any line with the one phase live or is their live line maintenace isolated to changing of insulators, dampers and other hardwares?..but m really waiting to see how kplc/ketraco will string the second circuit while the other is charged at 400kV…
Ps: m not saying its impossible.
Note that as of today all conductors have been pulled.Just spacers and clipping onto the insulators pending.That is the easiest part.The risk of conductors swinging during pulling has already been surpassed.
Alot of firsts have been achieved in this project.Including erecting towers at night,and pulling conductors 20kms end to end…past several sections as was traditionally done before.
Oh yeah…umenikubusha. actually that would have been tricky noting u r doing it at the peak. What i was worried about was the 400kV on the Turkana line.
Actually even better,the transmission line is rated 400kV but the initial operation till next year will be at 220kV.That gives even better working safety clearance for the 220kV operation.