Energy Regulatory Authority to draft energy policy to save power, cut costs

The Energy Regulatory Authority (ERC) is putting in place a policy to ensure firms that use energy to boil at least 1,000 litres of water daily install solar panels.

ERC Director General Joe Ng'ang'a said the move will help reduce the unnecessary chain of generating hydro or geothermal power and consuming the same in boiling water or other uses.

Mr Ng'ang'a said the policy will also help institutions and firms save money and power.

"We are working on the policy, which entails cutting the usage of power by consumers through introduction of renewable sources of energy," he said.

Speaking to journalists during a stakeholders' workshop on electricity, renewable energy and downstream petroleum in Laikipia, Ng'ang'a noted that the Government is keen on popularising the use of renewable energy.

He further said the State was focused on the materialisation of the 300MW wind plant in Turkana, the 100MW wind project in Kipeto and other ongoing projects in Kinangop and Ngong, which will add an extra 85MW to the national grid.

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 WIND GENERATION

"We are also happy that some counties have started the process of tapping the potential in wind-generation and started consultations with some companies involved in harnessing the resource," said Ng'ang'a.

But the official expressed concern over the rising challenge in infrastructural projects, where communities decline to grant leave of way to projects. He singled out the planned importation of 400MW from Ethiopia, the standard gauge railway and pipeline projects. In the power-importation project, a standoff emerged between the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company, ranchers and the community in Laikipia over the Sh100 billion project.

The power project is partially funded by the African Development Bank and partly by the World Bank. The core of the issue is that ranchers were opposed to routing of the high-voltage power lines on their land.