Google is backing out of a deal to buy a 12.5% stake in Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP), which operates Africa’s largest wind farm located in Kenya.
The 310 megawatt Lake Turkana wind farm was initially set for completion in 2017, after which Google had committed to buy the stake in the company. However, delays led to Google canceling the agreement.
The wind farm was ready for launch in 2017 but remained idle due to delays in installing transmission lines needed to get the clean power to the national grid and customers. The 428km power line from Loiyangalani to Suswa was to be completed by October 2016 but landowner demands for compensation on the route delayed it.
The project ran into more bad luck when a Spanish construction company contracted to build the line went bankrupt. Kenya turned to a Chinese company to complete it. The Lake Turkana wind farm will provide 15% of Kenya’s total electricity needs.