In close proximity to 1 million people, the Menengai volcano produced one of Africa's largest explosive eruptions during the last 20,000 years. And yet, we still do not know much about it. However, this presumably active volcano has the theoretical potential to generate half of Kenya's current electricity needs through vast amounts of potential geothermal energy. Today's video will discuss what is known about this caldera volcano north of Nakuru through the knowledge and analysis of a geologist. And, Menengai is not showing signs of unrest at the present, with no unusual activity. This is merely an informative video about the volcano's geologic history If you would like to support this channel, consider using one of the following links: (Patreon: http://patreon.com/geologyhub) (YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeGh5VML5XPr5jYnzh3J6g/join) (Gemstone & Mineral Etsy store: http://prospectingarizona.etsy.com) (GeologyHub Merch Etsy store: http://geologyhub.etsy.com) Google Earth imagery used in this video: ©Google & Data Providers This video is protected under "fair use". If you see an image and/or video which is your own in this video, and/or think my discussion of a scientific paper (and/or discussion/mentioning of the data/information within a scientific paper) does not fall under the fair use doctrine, and wish for it to be censored or removed, contact me by email at [email protected] and I will make the necessary changes. Various licenses used in sections of this video (not the entire video, this video as a whole does not completely fall under one of these licenses) and/or in this video's thumbnail image (and this list does not include every license used in this video and/or thumbnail image): Public Domain: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Sources/Citations: [1] VEIs, dates/years, composition, & bulk tephra volume estimates for volcanic eruptions shown in this video which were assigned a VEI 4 or larger are sourced from the LaMEVE database (British Geological Survey © UKRI), https://www2.bgs.ac.uk/vogripa/view/controller.cfc?method=lameve, Used with Permission [2] Source of Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) methodology and criteria: Newhall, C. G., and Self, S. (1982), The volcanic explosivity index (VEI) an estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism, J. Geophys. Res., 87(C2), 1231–1238, doi:10.1029/JC087iC02p01231. Accessed / Read by Youtube.com/GeologyHub on Oct 5th, 2022. [3] U.S. Geological Survey [4] Nick Blegen, Francis H. Brown, Brian R. Jicha, Katie M. Binetti, J. Tyler Faith, Joseph V. Ferraro, Patrick N. Gathogo, Jonathan L. Richardson, Christian A. Tryon, The Menengai Tuff: A 36 ka widespread tephra and its chronological relevance to Late Pleistocene human evolution in East Africa, Quaternary Science Reviews, Volume 152, 2016, Pages 152-168, ISSN 0277-3791, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.09.020. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379116303705) [5] R. Macdonald, J.M. Navarro, B.G.J. Upton, G.R. Davies, Strong compositional zonation in peralkaline magma: Menengai, Kenya Rift Valley, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, Volume 60, Issues 3–4, 1994, Pages 301-325, ISSN 0377-0273, https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(94)90057-4. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0377027394900574) [6] Mibei, Geoffrey & Njue, Lucy & Ndongoli, Calistus. (2016). CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE MENENGAI GEOTHERMAL FIELD. [7] Owuor, S., Wamukota, C., Klagge, B. et al. Unintended socio-economic transformations associated with large-scale renewable energy projects: the case of Menengai Geothermal Project in Kenya. Rev Reg Res (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10037-025-00240-4, CC BY 4.0. This source was used to cite the determined theoretical maximum potential for geothermal energy from the Menengai volcano. 0:00 Menengai Volcano 1:37 Geothermal Energy 2:02 Geologic Setting 2:32 Geologic History 4:39 Post Caldera Eruptions 4:50 What a Future Eruption Might Involve