KPLC Sets Aside 700 Million Shillings For Hybridization In Off-grid Areas

Kenya Power has set aside 700 million shillings that will be used to build renewable energy plants and increase power supply in the off-grid areas in Kenya.

The company plans to put the renewable energy plants that will be dependent on Solar and wind energy in 23 off-grid regions where the thermal energy has not reached.

The hybridization project will help to decentralize solar and wind hybrid power stations and offer new opportunities towards providing safe, secure and reliable electricity for economic and social development in areas not served by the national grid, as the General manager, Infrastructure Development and Network Management David Mwaniki suggests.

The project aims at putting up integrated and modern wind turbines, Solar panels to help to strengthen the electricity supply in low power accessible regions.

The off-grid hybridization mostly targets the rural areas and improve power supply and access to these areas. Currently, there are 27 mini-grids that serve electricity to the off-grid areas using mainly diesel-powered generators

“The planned hybridization of off-grid stations will expand access to electricity to Kenyans and improve the energy mix.”

“Providing access to sufficient and reliable electricity will help sustain the productive and income-generating activities of local communities in order to spur growth, create jobs and alleviate poverty in rural areas,” Mwaniki added.

Being part of the Big Four agenda, increasing supply in energy-deprived areas is critical to the economic development of Kenya whereas increasing the living standards of Kenyans.

“Energy is an enabler to the realization of economic development and as Kenya Power, our focus is to ensure power supply of reliable and maintain a robust network. The Company’s role is to provide quality and reliable power to support manufacturing, healthcare, food security and housing sectors under the Big Four Agenda,” Mwaniki highlighted.

Kenya Power said that it will inject, an additional fund of 3 billion shillings to upgrade the grid and ensure the project is reliable and successful.

The project has been financed by the French fund for development (AFD).