Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is planning to use US $ 2,005,785,920 (Ksh208 billion) in the next five years to power public amenities in Kenya.
Launching the agency 2016/17 to 2020/2021 strategic plan, REA Chairman Simon Gicharu said the funds will be spent to power public amenities in Kenya such as churches, health centers, trading centers, mosques as well as public primary schools.
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Other amenities consist of tea buying centers, coffee, and industrial units as well as processing plants, police stations, water project and boreholes, secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, and professional training centers.
“The plan centers more importance on the exploitation of renewable energy for the provision of electricity to regions that are far-off from the national grid. This is anticipated to improve industrialization and materialization of cottage trades,” said Gicharu.
Ever since 2006, REA he said has linked to the national grid more public facilities mostly public primary schools mounting electricity uptake from 30 percent in 2006 to 70 percent in 2016. Whilst number of trading centers with electricity in off grid areas amplified to 108 in 2016 from in 2006.
Gicharu said REA has been under the New Energy Bill and was given the responsibility of developing renewable energy by the government.
Additionally, REA identity will be altered to Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation to execute the rural electrification programme as well as the expansion and promotion of renewable energy.
REA chief executive officer Ng’ang’a Munyu corroborated that amongst key renewable project will be the installation of 55 megawatts of solar energy in Garissa County by February next year.
The project already ongoing Ng’ang’a said is being financed by a US$ 133 billion( Sh13.8 billion )soft loan extended to Kenya government by the China Exim Bank.
