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Government launches ambitious plan to provide electricity to all Kenyans by 2022

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The government today launched the Kenya National Electrification Strategy (KNES) developed in partnership with the World Bank, KNES provides a roadmap to achieving universal access to electricity for all Kenyans by 2022.

With the help of the geospatial tool, the strategy has identified cost effective options for bringing electricity to households and businesses throughout the country.

The strategy recognizes the key role played by off-grid options, mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems that complement grid extension and intensification. Above all, it highlights the crucial role that the private sector will need to play in providing off-grid solutions for Kenyan homes, businesses and community service centers in remote parts of the country.

“Tremendous achievement in scaling up connectivity has been made over the last few years. Total access to electricity now stands at 75%. However, there was a need to come up with a new National Electrification Strategy to deal with the challenges of bringing the entire country under electrification in an economically viable manner,” said Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter.

Universal access to electricity is a key Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the government under vision 2030 as Kenya forges ahead with its plan to become an industrialized and middle income country.

“The World Bank is committed to helping Kenya extend modern, affordable, reliable and clean energy services to all its citizens.,’’ said World Bank Country Director, Felipe Jaramillo.

According to Mr. Jaramillo, the World Bank is financing electrification under the ongoing Kenya Electricity Modernization Project (KEMP) and Kenya Off-grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) which targets to connect 235,000 and 1.3 million new beneficiaries, respectively.

The Electrification Strategy will deploy geospatial technology to develop a mechanism that provides objective planning data. This data will assist national and county policy makers in making informed decisions regarding grid and off-grid investments required for electric service provision.

Besides the KNES launch, the government also launched The Electricity Sector Investment Prospectus which presents the investment opportunities in the energy sector over the next 5 years valued at about $14.8 billion.

The Prospectus will help investors and financiers to identify suitable project opportunities. It also covers opportunities in power generation, transmission, distribution, off grid electrification, mini-grids and solar systems for homes and institutions.

The KNES was prepared with support from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). ESMAP is a partnership between the World Bank Group and 18 development partners to help low and middle-income countries reduce poverty and boost growth, through environmentally sustainable energy solutions.

World Bank research indicates that about one billion people in the world lack access to electricity. Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia continue to be the areas of the world with the largest access deficit.

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BT Correspondent
BT Correspondenthttp://www.businesstoday.co.ke
editor [at] businesstoday.co.ke
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