Kenya Halts $1B Microsoft–G42 Data Center as Power Limits Stall AI Ambitions By: Robert Buluma Introduction In May 2024, during a high-profile visit by President William Ruto to Washington, D.C., Kenya unveiled a bold digital leap forward. In partnership with Microsoft and UAE-based AI firm G42 , the country announced a $1 billion investment anchored on a geothermal-powered hyperscale data center in Olkaria . The vision was transformative: establish East Africa’s first Azure cloud region, unlock AI innovation—including Swahili-language models—and cement Kenya’s status as Africa’s digital gateway. But by May 2026, that vision has hit a wall. The project is now effectively suspended, with one central issue standing in the way—power. As President Ruto bluntly put it, a single hyperscale data center could require up to 1,000 MW, nearly a third of Kenya’s total installed capacity. The implication was stark: powering it could mean depriving millions of electricity. This is no ordinary...
#1 source for global geothermal developments, technology, and analysis with insights