The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and KenGen have shelved the construction of the multi-billion Dandora power plant after suffering multiple delays in tender and feasibility studies of the project.
Prospective contractors were set to be vetted in December 2020, however, the tendering process was pushed to January 2021 over some undisclosed technicalities.
The plan will thus be revived after six months (in June 2021), with KenGen saying that it needed the aforementioned period of time to conduct feasibility studies for the waste plant.
It added that it will also release a report that would ascertain whether the project is viable or not and also disclose its target cost. The project implementer will guide NMS to either proceed with the construction or ditch the plan in totality.
"We have signed a consultancy contract with a firm to carry out a feasibility study for the Waste-to-Energy project.
"The consultant has started work and the feasibility study will be comprehensive and will help to fast track the project’s implementation," KenGen noted.
Nairobi MCAs are also cautious of the plan and warned that the multiple delays may culminate into a waste of money and time.
NMS Director General, Mohamed Badi had said that the plant would solve the county’s garbage problem and contribute to the renewable energy pool.
Dandora waste area is Nairobi County's main dumpsite and was reported to be three times full. It holds over 1.8 million tonnes of solid waste against a capacity of 500,000 tonnes. It receives over 2,500 tonnes of waste daily
However, it is dominated by cartels who reportedly control garbage collection in the city. Badi vowed to fight the crooks and also imposed Ksh 200,000 fine on anyone found dumping litter illegally.
