Project management plan for uprating the 280 MW geothermal power plants in Olkaria, Kenya

Abstract

This project seeks to describe the uprate of the 280 MW geothermal power plants in Olkaria, Kenya, by 40 MW due to the presence of additional resources. The advantages of uprating outweigh the development of new top-up plants which are capital intensive and cumbersome to implement. There are considerations that need heeding when uprating existing power plants such as scope, cost, quality, resource, communication, procurement and stakeholders. Additionally, risk and time management are crucial for delivering the project successfully. This is because the uprating process interferes with current production, which can be minimized by adopting strict time schedules to implement changes. This study provides guidance on how to approach similar uprating projects based on the 6th edition of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK) and definitions in the ISO 21500 guide to project management. The study concluded that success in such projects is not guaranteed but developing a project plan increases the probability of success.