Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has successfully completed the second phase of its Line IV upgrade on the Nairobi-Eldoret pipeline, enhancing fuel flow to meet growing demand across Western Kenya and neighboring countries. The upgrade increases the pipeline’s flowrate from 330m³ per hour to 515m³ per hour, a substantial boost designed to support the supply needs in depots serving Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, and the DRC.
Initiated in 2022, the Line IV upgrade includes a new pump station at Ngema (PS22), equipped with dual mainline pumps configured in a 1+1 mode—one pump operational and one on standby. At the technical handover event, David Muriuki, Infrastructure General Manager and Project Engineer, highlighted the significant regional impact, noting, “With the accelerated flowrate of 515m³ per hour, KPC is well-positioned to meet the rising fuel demand in Western Kenya.”
Commissioning Engineer James Kimaiyos emphasized the project’s role in strengthening KPC’s export capabilities, adding that future phases will further boost the flowrate to 757m³ per hour to meet peak demand. Plans are also underway to reconfigure the Nairobi Terminal (PS21) to a 2+1 mode, allowing for enhanced pipeline utilization.
Andrew Birir, Principal Assistant to the Project Engineer, celebrated the milestone as a testament to local expertise, noting it’s the first time a Kenyan contractor has managed a full-scale pumping station project. “The project’s success reflects the growing capability of local professionals and marks a turning point in regional infrastructure development,” Birir stated.
Strata Industrial Limited, the local contractor behind the project, expressed gratitude to KPC for their support. Chief Engineer Raymond Chemweno praised the partnership, saying, “This project has set a new benchmark for professionalism and collaboration.”
The initial phase of the Line IV upgrade, completed in 2011, laid the groundwork with a 14-inch pipeline extending from Nairobi to Eldoret, equipped with two pumps configured in 1+1 mode, designed for a flowrate of 378m³ per hour.
