Nairobi’s $314 million (R3.5billion) waste-to-energy project is scheduled to launch later this month.

The solid waste recycling plant that will turn millions of cubic tonnes of solid, organic and inorganic waste into electricity is expected to take two years to construct. It will be constructed at the Dandora dumpsite, one of the largest dumping sites in Africa.

The project is the only one of its kind in Nairobi and country officials are now optimistic that Nairobi has found a long-term solution to waste management. Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero says garbage management has been an ongoing problem for policy makers and residents.

Daily, the city only collects between 850 and 1 100 tonnes of the 2 000 tonnes of waste generated by Nairobi’s 3.2 million residents. Much of the remaining waste is disposed of at illegal dump sites. Kidero believes the project will improve the city’s collection capability because the more garbage that is collect, the more energy the plant will generate.

The plant is expected to generate 70 megawatts of electricity per hour. The energy will be sold to Kenya Power Company to be added to the national grid to address Nairobi’s frequent power outages and rationing.

“[The project] will mark a realisation of our long dream of a cleaner city which has been a challenge because of lack of waste management technical expertise,”says Kidero.