President Uhuru launches largest solar energy plant across East and Central Africa in Garissa

GARISSA—President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday afternoon inaugurated a 50MW Garissa Solar Power plant at Raya in Mbalambala Constituency, Garissa County. 

The plant, which is the largest solar energy installation in East and Central Africa, adds to Kenya’s rich profile as the epicenter of green energy generation in Africa, the State House said in statement.

The multi-billion shilling worth power plant will transformed Garissa County to an electric power producer. 

“This is significant because the county is now not only contributing to the national power grid but this also opens up the potential of economic growth of our county as a result of the uninterrupted power supplies,” Garissa Governor Ali Korane said during the launch.

Garissa leaders also used the the president’s presence to express their support for the Building Bridges Initiative Taskforce report headed by the county senator, Yussuf Haji.

They handed a memorandum  that includes list of projects they want realized ahead of his end-term as a token of appreciation for the county’s support for his election since 2013.

President Kenyatta, who was accompanied by opposition leader Musalia Mudavadi, announced government plans to construct water pans in the region for rain water harvesting. 

He said he will be back in the region soon to officially open the Garissa to Modogashe road which is almost complete and launch the construction of the Mbalambala to Garissa road. 

Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), formerly Rural Electrification Authority (REA), sold 28.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) that have helped curb the rise in electricity prices.

The firm say it will earn at least Sh1 billion in full year from the sale of solar energy to Kenya Power for onward supply to homes and businesses.

“Garissa power plant has proved to be an exemplary project and it has many environmental advantages and due to that, we shall be investing more on sustainable means of energy production in future,” REREC chairman Simon Gicheru said yesterday in Mombasa.

The 54.6 megawatt (MW) plant, the largest in East and Central Africa, started injected power to the grid and has helped cut reliance on expensive thermal power with drop in use of cheaper hydro power following the dry weather.

Solar experts reckon that Kenya, like most African nations, has a high potential to generate solar energy given high radiation levels from the sun throughout the year.

The intensity of sunlight, not heat levels, determines solar electricity production.

Kenya has more than 300 days of sunshine per year, double Germany’s — which is the global leader in solar energy production with an installed capacity of more than 40,000 megawatts. 

The agency plans to set up 147 small solar plants in off-grid towns, with the aim of lighting up the majority of homes starting next month.

The target towns include Mandera, Garissa, Turkana, Wajir, Lamu and Tana River. Mr Gicharu said connecting off-grid towns by stretching the national grid would take longer and gulp enormous resources, making solar the most viable alternative.

The injection of the Sh13 billion Chinese loan funded solar power to the national grid came weeks after Kenya increased its share of cheaper wind power.

Additional report: The Business Daily