With the demand for electricity increasing, the County Government is banking on ambitious renewable energy programme to increase grid connectivity   in all households by 90% before 2022.

Reports show that only 46% of the County’s general population is connected to the grid.

According to the County renewable energy Director, Eng. Daniel Okia to make up for the deficit, aggressive investments on green energy have been made even as the department adopts counter measures to cut household  dependency on grid electricity.

Okia was speaking in Holo, Seme sub-county where he joined Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and WoMin Africa members on a bench marking exercise of solar powered systems in the County.

With a 3.1KW solar power box installed in the market, profits have improved significantly with the traders benefiting from extended working hours the station provides.

“To support similar initiatives   the County Government has laid out plans to replicate the technology in other parts of the County. Plans are also underway to erect centralized outputs for clean energy generation”. Added Eng. Okia.

The team also visited an integrated solar water pump station in the locality. The system is powered by 64 solar panels with a 16KW capacity.

By: Collins Owuor

Kisumu County renewable energy Director Eng. Daniel Okia addressing audiences during the benchmarking exercise in Holo.