Murang'a county turns to solar to cut power bills

Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata speaks during a past event. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

Muranga county government plans to shift to solar energy to cut huge power bills.

Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata said he will install solar panels in institutions to lower expenditure.

Kangata argued that the installation of solar pumps in boreholes would help lower costs, as most were operating below capacity due to frequent disruptions of electricity.

He said more resources would be dedicated towards the public projects.

In the past week, he announced that his administration has installed solar in eight boreholes and one ECDE centre.

"The first connection was at Mumbu, and Turuturu bore holes in Kahumbu ward, Kigumo constituency, where the residents are accessing water without challenges," said the governor.

Kang'ata said more solar connections have been planned, as a strategy to inject more resources into development programmes that impact the community.

On his social media pages, the governor noted that other boreholes that have been connected to solar energy are in Kabati, Kenol (Kandara), Kigio and Ngelelya (Gatanga), Kaigwa and Kagongo (Kiharu), and Gakindu Ecde in Maragua constituency.

On Thursday, when he hosted a delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini on a study on the impact of devolution and governance in Murang'a, Kangata said his administration worked to cut down electricity bills.

"Installation of solar energy will save the county government huge power bills and allow my administration to inject more resources into the development projects, " said Kang'ata.

A trader in Murang'a town, Milka Najmbi, pleaded with the governor to install solar streetlights saying most streetlights have been disconnected due to unpaid electricity bills.

"Mugging cases are on the rise in Murang'a, thus need for a long-lasting solution," said Njambi.

In Nyeri County, the executive is currently spending Sh120 million in electricity bills for streetlights.