In a bid to be the Coast regional centre of excellence in renewable energy, the County Government of Tana River has developed a toolkit to guide investments in the electricity sector.
Tana River has two major irrigation schemes and a mango factory has realized the potential of the energy sector and its contribution to the economic growth of the county.
The County Department of Water and Energy is currently formulating an investment plan which together with the toolkit will form an energy plan and an act. The energy plan will be incorporated into the third-generation County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).
“We designed the toolkit as we realized we could not make progress if there was not enough energy. We are done with that toolkit, it is a scientific document that allows us to get an overview of Tana River based on the level of energy we have as a county,” elucidated County Director of Water and Energy, Engineer Felix Mumba, during a stakeholders meeting in Hola.
The tool kit, Eng. Mumba says, will accelerate the county’s urbanization and eco-village projects.
“We cannot achieve the projects without having enough electricity. We, therefore, want Tana to be one of the counties with sufficient electricity or alternative sources of energy,” he said.
The toolkit was developed with funding from the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) and was implemented by Ricardo and Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG) organizations.
KCCWG Chairman John Kioli says the energy tool kit will enable investors and the county government to know which hospitals, schools, and boreholes need electricity.
“The toolkit will be resourceful to the County Government of Tana River. It will be easier for the government that will come after the election to know where to start. It will not be something they have done politically but scientifically,” said Kioli.
Energy, he said, is important for residents as they depend on the agricultural sector. He termed the use of diesel-powered machines as costly.
“This toolkit will show investors where they can install solar plants, and which areas to install electricity. A county that is in control of its energy sources is a sustainable county.”
By Sadik Hassan
