- Title: KENYA: Hydro power project cushions effects of power shortages
- Date: 9th September 2009
- Summary: CHARGING MOBILE PHONE MOBILE PHONES BEING CHARGED
- Embargoed: 24th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Kenya
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA4PSUXMBUFCQA8BO8LCNXDKDM3
- Story Text: A village in central Kenya generates its own electricity to cut reliance on the national grid, which is rationing power.
James Kinyua, the hydropower project coordinator of this initiative -- also co-sponsored by United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO) -- opened the 0.75 kilowatts turbine to check for faults in one of two units, from which local residents of Kathamba can access electricity without the high costs or power-rationing associated with the falling water levels in the country.
"We started this project in 2002; we were about 30 members who gathered at one home whereby everybody wanted to have power in his or her house," said Kinyua.
The part-independent, part-donor funded project is one of several initiatives being put in place in east Africa's biggest economy to bring electricity to the 60 percent of the population that is not currently covered by the national power grid.
"Every community in Kenya, they deserve electricity to use [for] TVs, Radio and also use it in their homesteads," added Kinyua.
In order to attain these goals, the government has pulled all the stops to mobilise the required resources.
A mixture of infrastructure bonds, mobilisation of donor funds and even small community initiatives like the one in the Kerugoya district are pushing towards less reliance on the national grid.
The Kerugoya plant provides power for lighting, powering computers and mobile phones, in addition to the mechanisation of agriculture and hairdressing.
"Personally, this project has helped me learn a lot about computers, I can now use the internet very comfortably. I have also studied visual basics and other basic computer packages because of this project," said John Kamau, a local resident A short drive from Kathamba's community centre, 57 households in the neighbouring village have been able to gain electricity from the hydropower plant -- a 240-volt project commissioned in 2000.
Residents said there were plans to install a bigger turbine using funding from the Constituency Development Fund, a government allocation administered by members of parliament.
African governments say the extension of electricity lines to more people is a priority. Kenya is in the process of adding 200,000 new electricity consumers every year until 2012. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.