Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, Kenya

The Lake Turkana Wind Power project is Africa’s largest wind farm, contributing approximately 11 percent of Kenya’s total electricity supply.

Located in Marsabit County, the 310MW Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) facility comprises 365 turbines. The project supports Kenya’s transition to low carbon, providing affordable and accessible energy, improving energy security and meeting the country’s needs through renewable infrastructure.  

Driving clean energy and social progress

LTWP has an ongoing programme of works, essential for the wind farm’s operational success. As part of its wider mission, LTWP is also deeply invested in supporting local communities through Winds of Change (WoC). 

WoC is a community-focused NGO that delivers social impact through improved education, transport, recreation and health facilities.  

Collaborative delivery for a greener future 

Our appointment established the programme management office (PMO) for LTWP and the WoC programme. We embedded governance and best-practice systems across project planning, cost and commercial management, quality assurance and health and safety. 

This ensured that individual projects within both programmes were well-structured, efficiently delivered and aligned with strategic objectives. 

Our team worked closely with both site-based and head office teams to streamline processes and strengthen project governance. We developed a master project execution plan, created Level 1 programmes and cashflows and implemented robust quality and health, safety and environment (HSE) frameworks. This included over 25 standard operating procedures.  

Through contract reviews, procurement support, site inspections, reporting templates and digital dashboards, we enabled consistent performance monitoring and informed decision-making.  

We seamlessly integrated into the client’s environment and established the PMO to enable the successful close out of four projects under the WoC initiative within the first six months. We also developed the capital budget for the 2025 project pipeline and managed the procurement process for five new projects.  

These were progressed to 40 percent completion within the six-months contract period. A key component of our engagement was knowledge transfer. We trained the client’s teams and equipped them with the tools and skills to manage future projects effectively.   

Creating long-term community impact  

LTWP, through the NGO WoC, continues to create long-term impact across the Turkana region. It has implemented several social and economic programmes around the Turkana communities. 

Since 2015, WoC has invested approximately €6.5m in local community programmes. These initiatives have dramatically improved access to clean water, education and healthcare, boosting hospital birth rates, vaccination access and school performance. 

In 2024, the project saw nearly 44 percent budget utilisation across its development goals. Within the community, the renewable energy capacity was enhanced with 46kW of added generation and 150kWh of storage installed in schools and health facilities.  

The project employed 96 percent of the workforce from the local community, significantly contributing to job creation and economic growth. Infrastructure gains include 134 new accommodation units at the Village Top Camp, additional classrooms and health facilities and expanded water reticulation networks for schools.

Max Schiff, Chief Executive Officer, Lake Turkana, said:

Turner & Townsend played a key role in establishing our PMO, bringing a tailored framework and a collaborative approach that aligned seamlessly with our team. 

"Their support made the transition smooth and we’re now seeing measurable improvements in project delivery, cost control and internal alignment.”