Garissa set for Sh13.6b solar farm

Garissa set for Sh13.6b solar farm

The Government has secured a Sh13.6 billion loan from the Exim Bank of China for the construction of a 50 megawatt solar park.

The Solar project to be constructed in Garissa is expected to ease power supply to North Eastern Kenya which is currently greatly under served.

The project will be undertaken by the Rural Electrification Authority (REA).

“Electricity generated from the plant will be fed to the national grid and thus increase the electricity supply capacity in the country as part of the 5,000MW program,” REA said in a statement.

The 50 megawatt solar project is expected to be the largest solar project in East Africa and will be complete by December 2017.

Power from the plant will reduce Garissa’s reliance on expensive thermal electricity that it currently uses.

The solar power will be sold to Kenya power at the rate of Sh12 per unit, Sh6 less that ne the current price for a unit of diesel generated power.

Kenya is believed to have a high potential to generate solar power given it has an estimated 300 days of sunshine per year.

This is the country’s first major solar project, with the government keen to tap renewable sources of energy.

The Rural Electrification Authority has plans to set up at least 100 small solar plants in towns yet to be connected to the national grid.

The solar farm will have 210,000 solar panels and is considered the largest solar power project in East and Central Africa.

Power generated from the solar farm will be enough to power 625,000 homes.

Tags:

Electricity garissa EXIM Bank of China thermal energy 50MW diesel generated power North Eastern Kenya REA renewable solar power

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories