Asal counties to benefit from Sh15b off-grid solar project

President William Ruto (centre), Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi (left) and the PS Alex Wachira before signing the contract for Improved Access to Electricity through Mini-Grid and Stand-Alone Solar Systems under the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project in Nairobi, on February 19, 2025. [File, Standard]

Over 14 counties will benefit from the Sh15 billion Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP), which aims to provide access to modern energy in the country's remote, low-density, and traditionally underserved areas.

Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit, Isiolo, Turkana, Baringo, Samburu and West Pokot are optimistic that the project will expand access to electricity. Others are Taita Taveta, Narok, Kilifi, Kwale, and Lamu.

The project, which is implemented by the Ministry of Energy through Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec) and Kenya Power, is financed by the World Bank. It is part of the government's commitment to providing universal access to electricity in the country by 2030.

Speaking in Kisumu during a working retreat with the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, senior officials from the Ministry of Energy, and affiliated government agencies, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the project targets 300,000 households or about 1.5 million people.

He said that the 14 counties targeted for this project are far from the national grid, adding that for the longest time, most of the counties in Northern Kenya had been left behind, although now the government intends to bring them to the same level as their counterparts in other regions.

Wandayi said that as the government extends the national grid through Rerec, they also target the off-grid installations for the whole country to unlock its full potential. "The project also targets constructing 114 mini-grids, construction of 343 standalone public facilities, installation of solar water pumps in 380 boreholes, and facilitating the sale of 250,000 stand-alone solar systems," he said.

Wandayi noted that currently, the country has experienced higher electricity demand, with the peak demand rising by 6.1 per cent from 2,228 megawatts (MW) in August 2024 to the current peak demand of 2,363.41 MW. "This increase in demand is a result of increased investment in the transmission and distribution system.

Over the same period, the number of electricity connections has grown by four per cent from 9,660,800 in August 2024 to the current 10,045,775 connections," he said.

"Similarly, the number of street lighting lanterns has increased by 2.9 per cent from 199,439 lanterns to 205,294. These statistics demonstrate the Ministry's commitment to its core mandate of developing and implementing policies that create an enabling environment for efficient operation and growth of Kenya's energy sector."

Wandayi said that his Ministry has also developed the National Energy Policy 2025-2034, which will be the tool that spearheads the country's vision of an equitable energy transition, focusing on innovation, resilience, and sustainability to meet the needs of all Kenyans.

He said the policy aims to address the challenges of energy access, affordability, security, and environmental sustainability, while promoting clean energy solutions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and drive green industrialisation.