Social Safeguards

KenGen recognizes that social safeguard policies are essential tools to prevent and mitigate undue harm to people within our project areas. When identifying and designing a project, safeguards help us to assess the potential social risks and impacts (positive or negative) associated with a development intervention.

Implementation of Olkaria RAP land project is our flagship social safeguard project that is supported by World Bank.

Projects Appraisal & Monitoring Section

The section conducts preliminary ESIAs, appraisals and environmental and social monitoring for proposed project sites. These include the biodiversity studies for the proposed sites, project stakeholder management and Environmental sustainability reporting. The studies are carried out prior to the full ESIA studies. The studies are carried out to establish comprehensive baseline information on socio-economic status and on fauna and flora of the proposed project area and to determine the Terms of Reference to be used in the full ESIA studies. The section also undertakes post feasibility/ESIA appraisals.

Currently projects being undertaken by the section include:-

1. Closure of Olkaria IV RAP activities
2. Ngong Wind III - Currently the biodiversity studies are being undertaken
3. Proposed Meru wind
4. Prefeasibility studies for Proposed Marsabit Wind farm
5. Prefeasibility studies for upgrading of Gogo Power Station.
6. Update of feasibility studies for Raising of Masinga dam.

Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation Projects 

KenGen has revamped its Good to Great transformation strategy with focus on achieving environmentally sustainable development in discharging its mandate of generation of reliable, safe, quality and competitively priced electric energy in the Eastern Africa region.

To enhance sustainable development, KenGen has to date developed and registered six (6) Clean Development Mechanism projects (CDM) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These projects are:-

1. Olkaria II Geothermal Expansion
2. Redevelopment of Tana Hydropower project
3. Optimization of Kiambere Hydropower project
4. Olkaria IV Unit 1 & 2
5. Olkaria I Additional Unit 4 and 5
6. Ngong Wind 5.1 MW

The annual estimated CER’s from KenGen’s registered projects are as indicated in the table below:-

The CDM projects have resulted to environmental and social benefits to KenGen and communities around the projects through commitment of 10% of the CDM revenue to Community Benefits Programs from the World Bank’s Emission Purchase Agreement for the Olkaria II, Tana and Kiambere CDM projects.

CDM projects have contributed to benefits for KenGen’s stakeholders through Community Benefit Projects funded by part of the revenue from the CDM projects. An example of the beneficial projects is the Redevelopment of KenGen’s Tana Power Station that was registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in October 2011. KenGen, through an Emission Reductions Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with International Bank for Reconstruction and Development as Trustee of the Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF) used part of its CDM revenue to implement the Community Benefit Projects.

Tana Power Plant – Registered as a CDM Project

Olkaria II Power Plant – Unit 3 - Registered as a CDM Project

Some of the Community Benefits Projects that have been implemented include Mirira and Kiambaa Primary Schools which are the beneficiaries of upgraded classrooms, landscaping, new desks, and a refurbished water tank; while the residents of Mirira now have a brand new footpath courtesy of the implementation of the CDM projects at Tana Power Station. It is through the plant’s recent redevelopment that additional renewable energy is annually generated, which resulted in the reduced use of fossil fuels, and consequently reduction of greenhouse gases [GHG] emissions.

Going forward, KenGen intends to enhance its portfolio of climate change mitigating projects by registering new climate change projects including the following:-

1. Olkaria V
2. Olkaria I additional unit 6
3. Olkaria I rehabilitation

{ tab=Environmental  Management}

The Environmental Management section of the Environment and Sustainable Development Department ensures KenGen’s operations and activities comply with and exceed the requirements of all applicable environmental laws, regulations, permit and licenses conditions and other requirements to which the organization subscribes to.

The main activities of the Environmental Management section include:-

1. Undertaking Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Studies for capital projects and acquiring EIA License from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), which is a mandatory requirement as provided in the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) Cap 387. In the FY 2017/2018, the Section has spearheaded acquisition of the following EIA licenses for Capital Projects:-

1. 61MW Modular Geothermal Power Plant
2. 140MW Olkaria V Geothermal Power Plant
3. 140MW Olkaria 1 AU 4 & 5 Geothermal Power Plant
4. 140MW Olkaria IV Geothermal Power Plant
5. Olkaria I Redevelopment Project
7. Proposed 132kV Electricity Transmission Line to the KenGen Industrial Park

The section is also responsible for renewal of EIA licenses upon expiry. The section ensures availability of other required licenses and permits prior to project commencement including water abstraction permit issued by the Water Resources Authority (WRA), Effluent Discharge License where necessary and Emission license issued by NEMA.

1. Undertaking statutory environmental audits for KenGen installations and facilities on annual basis and submitting the relevant reports to NEMA. In the year 2018, a total of 30 KenGen facilities and installations were audited using in-house capacity and the respective reports submitted to NEMA.
2. Facilitate initial environmental audits for new installations and facilities, which is normally undertaken by a third party. The subsequent annual audits are undertaken using in-house capacity.
3. Monitor performance of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) implementation company-wide and follow up on closure of recommended corrective actions.
4. Facilitate implementation of corrective action plan (CAP) following (a) self-audits (b) Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) EHS audits and (c) address improvement orders from NEMA if any.
5. Documentation and implementation of Environmental Management System (EMS) based on the ISO 14001:2015 and its supporting standards.
6. Implement pollution control measures and mitigate negative environmental impacts, while at the same time enhancing positive environmental impacts resulting from KenGen’s activities, products and services.
7. Trending on environmental aspects related with KenGen’s operations and activities, and offering technical advice on environmental issues to the Management.
8. Reporting on resource sustainability

Environment conservation 

KenGen is committed to environmental conservation and sustainably safeguarding the environment it shares with other communities at its areas of operations - for today and generations to come. The company has invested in long-term programs dedicated to sustainable environmental conservation and promoting a tree planting culture within the organization.

Environment conservation involves sustainable management of ecological resources. KenGen strives to be a leading organization within the energy sector in limiting negative and, where possible, having positive direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems so that its practical performance in this area matches its conservation aspirations. KenGen recognizes the significance of ecological restoration and enhancement in areas where the company operates and derives its generation resources.

Since 1986 KenGen has been running three tree nurseries with a total annual output of 350,000 seedlings. These seedlings have over years been used in CSR activities and in protection and restoration of Tana and Mau catchment areas thus enhancing sustainability of KenGen hydropower generation.

The Schools’ Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) is a flagship environment program that is being implemented through KenGen Foundation. GIC is a unique project, implemented in partnership with Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd. KenGen is also establishing tree buffer zone projects around the hydro dam in Eastern region with a purpose of reducing encroachment and effects of siltation and restoration of ecosystems in Ngong wind farm and in Olkaria Geothermal project area.