Laikipia County Government to use solar energy

After decades traders falling victims of mugging among others forms of insecurity, Laikipia will tap solar energy to lit the streets.

Apart from providing security to the locals, Laikipia County Government is investing Sh 46 million in off grid solar power to light up the streets of its towns which are more economical than electricity from the national grid.
Due to its position at the Equator Laikipia has massive opportunity for quality solar energy all the year round. There have been little, if any, efforts from the government and the private sector in the past to invest in the renewable energy sector.
However the shift by the county government is coinciding with another investment by a
private firm which is setting up a 40-megawatt solar power station in Rumuruti.
The shift by Laikipia is expected to save the county government millions of shilling that it
has been paying in form of electricity bills.
For instance, the cost of installing a single high-mast flood light alone averages Sh 3.5
million.
On average it takes a bill of Sh10,000 per month to power a single high-mast flood
light. Considering that the county has installed a total of 32 high-mast flood lights
across the county, the maintenance cost becomes unsustainable.
This coupled with the susceptibility to frequent damages makes this mode of lighting
untenable. The county government will gradually to phase out this expensive electricity
from the national grid and direct the saved resources to other projects.
The solar power street lighting project, whose roll out started last month, will see the delivery of 216 electric poles  in the 15 wards by end of August.

Jamleck Maina of Majengo in Nanyuki town says  the project will assist traders, unlike in the past where thugs  raided their premises.

"Residents have welcomed the idea of having a sustainable to light up the streets" said Maina as he congratulated Governor Nderitu Mureithi administration  for the cost effective idea.

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