Over 2m p****e to benefit from solar energy project
More than two million people from marginalised counties will benefit from an Sh500 million clean solar energy connection funded by the World Bank, Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the ministry of Energy Zachary Ayieko has said.
The CAS said the first phase of the project which is implemented by the ministry of energy through the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project targets to connect at least 450,000 households with free solar energy installation in 14 counties and other areas which have not been connected to the national electricity grid.
The counties include West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta and Narok where the KOSAP Programme will be implemented.
Ayieko said the targeted beneficiaries will also be provided with cooker stoves and stand-alone solar power installations in their homes to enable them to have friendly energy solutions.
National average
“KOSAP is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to not only ensure they access electricity but also adopt clean energy solutions. It is a major step towards the fulfilment of the Constitutional guarantee for all Kenyans to access government services, no matter where they live,” he added.
Currently, the CAS said the targeted counties have 23 per cent rate connectivity to electricity compared to the national average of 70 per cent and the counties cover 70 per cent of the country’s landmass with populations sparsely distributed.
Ayieko added that due to the construction of mini grids to the landmass and the sparsely distributed population, the construction of mini grids and installations of standalone solar systems was the most effective strategy to achieve universal access to modern energy.
Under the programme, 400,000 households will be served with Stand-alone Solar Systems (SSS) while 111,277 households will be served with Clean Cooking Solutions (CCS) and they include 450 community facilities such as schools, health facilities and administrative offices and 380 community solar powered boreholes will be sank. Another 146 solar powered mini-grids will be constructed in the targeted counties to supply about 55,000 households with solar power.
“The government has scaled investments in the energy sector, ensuring those not covered by the main grid tap into alternative sources considered clean, healthier, and environmentally friendly and KOSAP is a catalyst in our quest to ensure Kenyans access electricity that is clean, sustainable and environmentally friendly,” he added.
Set up infrastructure
To make the project viable, the CAS said the government has enlisted the services of 20 Solar Service Providers (SSPs) who will be assisted to set up infrastructure in the 14 counties.
According to Ayieko, the aim of the programme is to provide electricity to parts of the country that are not served by the national grid as a way of achieving the government’s goal of ensuring that every part of the country has access to energy, a critical factor in reducing poverty.
The KOSAP is a flagship project of the Ministry of Energy, financed by the World Bank, and jointly implemented by the ministry, Kenya Power, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, with funding from the World Bank.
