President William Ruto has strongly defended the controversial Sh95.6 billion agreement signed between Adani Group and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO).

Ruto says the 30-year power transmission deal will see Kenya take advantage of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to realise its geothermal potential to spur economic growth.

The president was speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of a 35MW powerplant in Menengai, Nakuru County, as controversy build up around deals Kenya signed with Adani.

He said the deals with Adani and other private investors will help Kenya lessen the burden on taxpayers as it realizes its goal of improving its national power grid connections by 2030.

“The Adani Group are investing Sh95 billion of their money in the transmission line. We would have otherwise gone to borrow that money and burden the people of Kenya,” argued Ruto.

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The Head of State clarified that his administration will pay the Indian investors using an already-negotiated willing charge in a bid to create employment and boost development.

“This investment is not funded by the government this is an investment by the private sector.

“They will put Sh12 billion of their money in their project to generate energy and we will buy the energy from them.”

This comes a fortnight after Energy and Petroleum CS Opiyo Wandayi announced KETRACO had signed a Sh95.6 billion power transmission deal with Adani Energy Solutions Limited.

According to Wandayi, the pact will see Adani develop, finance, construct and operate key transmission lines and substations to curb perennial power outages experienced in Kenya.