Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei has inspected the on-going installation of a Sh105 million Turbine Alternator (TA) at Chemelil Sugar Company, to be commissioned in two weeks, saving the firm Sh12 million in monthly power bills.
Speaking during the tour, Koskei lauded the company management undertaking the crucial cost-saving turbine installation project, ahead of the expiry of the extended Comesa Moratorium on cheap sugar imports, which is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the miller in the regional market.
“The government is satisfied with the on-going TA installation exercise and I wish to assure cane farmers in both Kisumu and Nandi counties that the factory operations that have stalled over the last three weeks due to a breakdown of the earlier existing 40-year-old turbine will resume in two weeks’ time,” said Koskei.
The company Managing Director Charles Owelle said the Sh105 million turbines has been procured from turbine manufacturers, Kessels Engineering Works Pvt Ltd of India.
“Kessels mechanical and electrical engineers are expected to fly into the country next week to embark on the turbine commissioning exercise that is expected to take one week,” said Owelle.
He further said commissioning of the turbine will avail three megawatts of electricity to the factory, and enable the company save Sh12 million monthly power bills currently incurred from Kenya Power Company, through importing of 1.5 megawatts.
Additionally, power imported from Kenya Power supplements the aged turbine’s efficiency, which has declined to 1.5 megawatts from the initial installed capacity of three megawatts.
“The monthly power bill saving of Sh12 million will enable the company to reinvest the funds into other factory maintenance and operational areas and greatly enhance it's competiveness ahead of the expiry of the Comesa moratorium,” said Owelle.