EPC Energy has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for a utility-scale solar and battery storage project in Kenya, marking a significant step forward for the country’s renewable energy ambitions and growing focus on grid resilience.
The Maingi Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage Project, located in Nakuru County, will combine a 40MW solar photovoltaic facility with a 10MW/34.7MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), creating one of the region’s integrated renewable energy projects.
Developed by Multi-Link Investments Group Limited, the project is expected to enter commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2027. EPC Energy will deliver the full project lifecycle, including engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and three years of operations and maintenance support.
For project professionals, the scheme highlights the growing complexity of renewable energy delivery programmes, where generation assets, energy storage systems, digital controls and long-term operational requirements must be integrated into a single coordinated project.
Phil Small Jr., Director of Sales at EPC Energy, described the award as an important milestone for the company.
“This award represents a major milestone for EPC Energy and demonstrates our capability to execute complex utility-scale renewable energy projects internationally,” he said. “We are honoured to have been selected to deliver this important project, which will provide clean, reliable energy while supporting Kenya’s grid modernisation objectives.”
Managing a Multi-Technology Infrastructure Programme
Unlike traditional solar projects, the Maingi development combines multiple technologies within a single delivery programme.
The solar facility will utilise high-efficiency bifacial photovoltaic modules and is expected to generate more than 70 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
Alongside the solar plant, EPC Energy will deploy a fully integrated battery energy storage system consisting of eight battery containers, eight bidirectional power conversion systems and the company’s proprietary energy management platform.
From a project delivery perspective, integrating generation, storage and digital control systems introduces additional layers of complexity. Engineering teams must manage interfaces between technologies, coordinate multiple specialist suppliers and ensure that all systems operate seamlessly once commissioned.
The battery storage system will provide capabilities including renewable energy firming, energy shifting, peak demand management, frequency regulation and grid stability services.
These functions are becoming increasingly important as power systems incorporate larger volumes of renewable generation and require greater operational flexibility to maintain reliability.
Supporting Kenya’s Energy Transition
Kenya is widely regarded as one of Africa’s renewable energy leaders, with a generation mix already heavily reliant on geothermal, hydroelectric, wind and solar resources.
However, growing electricity demand and increasing renewable penetration are creating new project opportunities focused on energy storage and grid modernisation.
The Maingi project demonstrates how integrated renewable energy programmes are evolving beyond simple generation assets to become more sophisticated infrastructure projects designed to support wider energy system objectives.
For programme managers and project sponsors, battery storage is increasingly viewed not as a standalone technology but as a critical enabler that improves project economics, enhances system reliability and maximises renewable energy utilisation.
Full Lifecycle Delivery Model
Under the contract, EPC Energy will be responsible for detailed design, procurement, construction management, system integration, commissioning and performance verification.
The inclusion of a three-year operations and maintenance agreement reflects a broader trend across infrastructure projects towards lifecycle-based delivery models, where project success is measured not only by construction completion but also by long-term operational performance.
This approach provides continuity between delivery and operations while ensuring performance objectives established during development are maintained after commissioning.
As renewable energy portfolios continue to expand across Africa, projects such as Maingi are helping to demonstrate how solar generation and battery storage can be deployed together to create more reliable and dispatchable clean energy systems.
With construction expected to progress over the next two years, the project will serve as an important example of how integrated project management, technology coordination and long-term asset planning are becoming central to the successful delivery of next-generation energy infrastructure.
