Setbacks hit tea farmers power plants

A series of mishaps have hit some of Kenya Tea Development Authority Ltd mini hydro power plants delaying the commissioning of what was billed as the answer to expensive and erratic national grid.

The completion of some of the power plants in Meru have faced hurdles while South Mathoiya River Plant in Murang’a County has suffered a series of setbacks that have dragged its launch by months.

The Sh2 billion South Mathioya power plant with a potential of generating 5Mw would have been commissioned last December, but in early November, gangsters broke in and stole imported equipment worth Sh20 million.

It was the second hit on the plant after a concrete pipe into the powerhouse was washed off by the longs rains last year.

The plant is to power Kiru, Gatunguru, Kanyenya-ini and Githambo factories in Murang’a County.

Gura SHP which has a 5.8MW capacity in neighbouring Nyeri County and supplies Gathuthi, Gitugi, Iriaini and Chinga tea factories is also in a crisis after a disagreement with Tetu Aberdare Water and Sewerage Company Limited over sharing of water from the depleted river Gura.

This week, Gura Hydo Power Company agreed to bear some Sh4.7 million with Teawasco contributing Sh1.5 million of the amount to relocate the intake for the water company, which serves 80,000 households in Tetu Constituency.

Both power plant and Teawasco have abstractions on the river, which are separated by a short distance.

On Tuesday, both companies agreed on a formula to share the water equitably during a charged meeting chaired by the Nyeri County Executive Member in charge of Water Fredrick Kinyua.

But it is in Meru county where mishaps have badly disrupted the commissioning of two hydro power plants worth over Sh2 billion.

Five factories in the region have been waiting to commission two mini-hydro-power projects set up on rivers Iraru and South Maara.

The Sh1 billion South Maara and the Sh850m Iraru mini-hydro plants are almost complete according to Paul Ringera, the regional KTDA Director.

But commissioning of both projects has been delayed since 2017 forcing Weru, Kionyo, Githongo, Kinoro factories to continue relying on the national grid.

According to Ringera, the delays have been occasioned by disagreements over way leaves for water canals and power lines to and from the power houses.

Farmers in the area are said to have hiked land prices when the projects commenced leading to long negotiations.