Nairobi, April 26 -- Kenya is set to test the commercial viability of a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant as it steps up efforts to remove the expensive diesel-powered thermal plants for the national grid and offer consumers cheaper electricity.

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit of the National Treasury is already recruiting an expert to, among other things, test the commercial viability of the planned 1,200 megawatt (MW) plant.

"The feasibility study is intended to determine the commercial viability and PPP suitability of implementing the proposed project from a technical, economic, social, environmental and financial perspective," it said.

The planned LNG plant to be located in Dongo Kundu, Mombasa, is key to ea...