President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to commission a Windpower plant in Marsabit County today.
Uhuru will be accompanied by various government officials as he unveils the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP). The high voltage line will be connected to the national grid as the government seeks ways of lowering the cost of energy in a bid to attract more investors into the country.
The contractor of the project has exuded confidence that it will transform the lives of millions of Kenyans upon its unveiling.
Wind energy is not only clean and ecofriendly but also affordable compared to other forms of energy. The wind power project which is located in Loiyangalani area will generate a maximum capacity of 310.25 megawatts.
The project is ready to start operations despite the government facing a series of challenges such as securing funds to finance the same before it reached the current stage. The project was set up in line with the government’s plan to increase energy production to 5,000W.
Different stakeholders have since hailed the Jubilee government following the launch of the project. The government pumped Sh28 billion into the project before its completion.
About 75 per cent of the project's financing came from the national government while the remaining 25 per cent was borrowed from the Spanish government.
LTWP executive director Rizwan Fazal confirmed the commissioning of the project and urged Kenyans to embrace renewable energy sources.
"So instead of power bills going up from November as they have traditionally due to drought, they could stay the same," he said.