KAJIADO, Kenya – National Cement Company Ltd, the Devki Group subsidiary behind Simba Cement, is seeking environmental approval to build a 60-megawatt wind farm in Kajiado County as the manufacturer steps up efforts to generate more of its own electricity.
The proposed renewable energy project will comprise 38 wind turbines, a 33/220-kilovolt step-up substation, internal access roads and underground and overhead electrical cabling.
It will also include a 220kV transmission line and wayleave, according to an environmental and social impact assessment notice published by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
National Cement seeks approval for wind project
The Kajiado wind farm is currently at the environmental assessment stage, with NEMA opening a 30-day period for public comments on the proposed development.
The project is expected to provide National Cement with an additional source of electricity closer to its manufacturing operations.
However, the assessment notice does not specify whether all 60MW generated will be consumed by National Cement or whether part of the electricity could eventually be supplied to the national grid.
National Cement is part of the Devki Group of Companies, the industrial conglomerate associated with businessman Narendra Raval and whose interests include steel and other manufacturing operations in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
Devki has invested in own power generation
The proposed wind farm builds on National Cement’s earlier efforts to reduce its dependence on electricity supplied through the national grid.
In 2018, the company commissioned a 15MW power plant alongside its clinker operation between Merrueshi and Mbirikani.
The project was intended to lower electricity costs for the cement manufacturer, which had previously indicated that power purchased from Kenya Power was substantially more expensive than generating electricity using coal.
National Cement had also warned that interruptions in electricity supply could disrupt clinker production.
The new wind project would expand the company’s self-generation strategy while increasing the share of renewable energy in its electricity mix.
Separate from National Cement’s West Pokot wind project
The proposed Kajiado development is separate from another 60MW wind project that National Cement has pursued in Sebit, West Pokot.
The West Pokot project was announced in 2023 as a proposed source of electricity for the company’s cement operations in the region.
It remains listed as a pre-construction project, meaning the Kajiado proposal would represent an additional renewable energy investment by the cement manufacturer.
Cement manufacturers turn to alternative power
National Cement’s push into wind power reflects a broader trend among large industrial electricity consumers seeking alternatives to relying entirely on the national grid.
Cement manufacturing is highly energy-intensive, with electricity required for several stages of production, including crushing, grinding and clinker processing.
Rising power costs and concerns over supply reliability have therefore encouraged manufacturers to explore captive generation and other alternative sources of electricity.
Other cement producers have also pursued similar strategies.
Mombasa Cement, for instance, has been pursuing captive generation at its Vipingo operation, including a proposed 10MW plant using coal and biomass.
Bamburi Cement has also pursued solar power as part of efforts to reduce its reliance on grid electricity.
Wind supplies 13.18 per cent of Kenya’s power
Kenya’s renewable energy resources have strengthened the case for industrial investment in wind and solar generation.
Wind accounted for 13.18 per cent of electricity generated in the financial year ended June 2025, making it the country’s third-largest source of electricity after geothermal and hydropower.
The country’s wind generation is dominated by Lake Turkana Wind Power, whose 310MW facility in Marsabit accounts for most of Kenya’s installed wind capacity.
Other major wind projects include the 100MW Kipeto Wind Farm and the 25.5MW Ngong Wind Farm.
The expansion of wind generation has given large electricity consumers more options as they seek to manage energy costs and improve the reliability of their operations.
Kajiado project enters public consultation
National Cement’s proposed 60MW wind farm will now undergo the environmental approval process overseen by NEMA.
The 30-day public consultation period gives communities and other stakeholders an opportunity to submit comments on the proposed development.
If approved and eventually constructed, the project would add another large renewable power facility to Kenya’s growing wind-energy sector while strengthening National Cement’s strategy of securing electricity for its energy-intensive manufacturing operations.
