Sh17bn solar project sets ball rolling for industrial park plan

SUNDAY JUNE 23 2019



The solar park will also sell electricity to Kenya Power. FILE PHOTO | NMG
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By WYCLIFF KIPSANG
More by this AuthorBy BARNABAS BII
More by this Author
The setting up of the first ever private Special Economic Zone in Uasin Gishu County has begun.
This follows the launch of a Sh17 billion solar power project which is set to produce 80 megawatts of electricity for the industrial park and supply to the national grid.
The project, set to be completed in the next 18 months, will be set up on a 700-acre parcel of land. It is a partnership between DL Group of Companies and Selenkei and Cendate Solar.
Apart from providing power to the industrial park, it will also sell electricity to Kenya Power, with an agreement already signed.
Dr David Lagat, the chairman of DL Group of Companies, said they had already obtained all the documents needed for the project from the government.
“The project will be a game changer as it will offer employment opportunities to locals and improve infrastructure,” said Dr Lagat.

I insist,
17bn ni pesa nyingi sana kwa 80MW,
80MW ni umeme Kiduchu sana, Enough for a Village.

game over said:

I insist,
17bn ni pesa nyingi sana kwa 80MW,
80MW ni umeme Kiduchu sana, Enough for a Village.

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You have to consider labor costs which are higher in Kenya than in most african countries, I think, though I am yet to confirm it ,Kenya's labor cost is among the five highest labor costs in africa, but I will confirm this and come back with evidence. That power is to be used by the industries in the industrial park, but there is a French firm setting up a 40MW solar power plant in Uasin gishu too. This one is being built by the Chinese and it is purely an industrial park so only excess capacity will be exported to the grid. The lamu coal power plant has also received the green light after court cases, it was supposed to produce about 1050 MW but has been reduced to 981.5 MW to avoid excess power in the grid. The total cost of the industrial park will be around 200bn, this is just the start. Also a village in africa can not consume 80 MW.. Here is a simple scenario, the average home consumption of electricity in the America is about 862 Kwh per month, this means 100 houses will consume about 86200 Kwh . Which is far less than what this plant will produce daily.

Kevin85ify said:

You have to consider labor costs which are higher in Kenya than in most african countries, I think, though I am yet to confirm it ,Kenya's labor cost is among the five highest labor costs in africa, but I will confirm this and come back with evidence. That power is to be used by the industries in the industrial park, but there is a French firm setting up a 40MW solar power plant in Uasin gishu too. This one is being built by the Chinese and it is purely an industrial park so only excess capacity will be exported to the grid. The lamu coal power plant has also received the green light after court cases, it was supposed to produce about 1050 MW but has been reduced to 981.5 MW to avoid excess power in the grid. The total cost of the industrial park will be around 200bn, this is just the start.

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nonsence. Kenya uses only 1800 MW peak power and its installed capacity without diesel generators is 2000MW.
This is just a scheme to inflate power bills by use of idle capacity charge

Mkikuyu- Akili timamu said:

nonsence. Kenya uses only 1800 MW peak power and its installed capacity without diesel generators is 2000MW.
This is just a scheme to inflate power bills by use of idle capacity charge

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LOL. Kenya passed the 1800 MW peak power consumption in July 2018 and the generation capacity at that time was not 2000 MW, it was 2,351 MW with a reserve margin of 549 MW.The reserve power often takes care of emergency situations like when several plants are taken off the national grid during maintenance or unforeseen breakdowns .

game over said:

I insist,
17bn ni pesa nyingi sana kwa 80MW,
80MW ni umeme Kiduchu sana, Enough for a Village.

Click to expand...

Its a private investment not tax payers money!!! Ata iwe 50bn shida iko wapi?

game over said:

I insist,
17bn ni pesa nyingi sana kwa 80MW,
80MW ni umeme Kiduchu sana, Enough for a Village.

Click to expand...

Which village Kama hata Dar mgao bado upo? Think before posting and exposing your hollow skull.

Mkikuyu- Akili timamu said:

nonsence. Kenya uses only 1800 MW peak power and its installed capacity without diesel generators is 2000MW.
This is just a scheme to inflate power bills by use of idle capacity charge

Click to expand...

This is not being built to inject power into the national grid but to support a specific project with only excess going to the grid. As such there will be no idle capacity. In fact, it will help enhance peak power given that it will be drawing from the grid at night when the panels are not working and there is idle power.
As such it will reduce idle power at night while not putting pressure on the grid during the day. It will still be counted as part of Kenya's electricity generation capacity

GERALD710 said:

This is not being built to inject power into the national grid but to support a specific project with only excess going to the grid. As such there will be no idle capacity. In fact, it will help enhance peak power given that it will be drawing from the grid at night when the panels are not working and there is idle power.
As such it will reduce idle power at night while not putting pressure on the grid during the day. It will still be counted as part of Kenya's electricity generation capacity

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Peak power is btwn 5pm and 10pm and early morning from 6am-9am during those hours the sun is bearly shinning. Useless project serving the needs of financiers through capacity charge

Mkikuyu- Akili timamu said:

Peak power is btwn 5pm and 10pm and early morning from 6am-9am during those hours the sun is bearly shinning. Useless project serving the needs of financiers through capacity charge

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Peak periods are when residents are using power in their homes.It does not apply to Industrial Parks.In fact, Industries peak power consumption is just after midday when the solar panels will be getting a lot of sunlight
This project is not eligible for fixed capacity charge as it is not initiated nor supported by the Government.