June 22 (Renewables Now) – While the contribution of geothermal energy to meeting Kenya’s power demand continues to rise with 83 MW added just recently, it has become known that a 100-MW project has been stalled over the past seven years due to its inability to obtain the required permits to drill. Earlier this month, Kenya Electricity Generating Company Plc, better known as KenGen, commissioned the 83-MW Unit 6 of the Olkaria 1 geothermal power plant, the company’s CEO Rebecca Miano told local media on Friday.

Acknowledging the great amounts of power needed to “mine” cryptocurrencies, the country’s energy production company KenGen has extended an invitation to bitcoin mining companies to consider setting shop in the country. Kenya’s main geothermal production plant is located in Naivasha, about 120 km from the capital, Nairobi.