By Bisola Adeyemo
The Kenya Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) has announced that about 3,728 public facilities in the off-grid areas will be electrified through installation of renewable energy mini-grid systems.
The Chairman REREC Board of Directors, Simon Gicharu, stated this during the launching of five-year strategic plan in Mombasa.
While speaking on its capacity, he announced that the plan covers the period 2018/2019-2022/23 and aims to electrify about 25,899 public facilities.
He further explain that that the corporation targeted public institutions including 278 primary schools, 1,339 secondary schools, polytechnics, institutions of higher learning, 1,428 health centers/dispensaries, 5,705 markets and trading centres, worship centres, police posts, and processing plants.
KNA quoted him as saying, “The corporation will also connect about 112,500 households that are within a radius of 600 metres of new transformers to electricity.
”And to further support the use of renewable energy in the country, REREC aims to install 200 Solar PVs and 20 wind energy systems for institutions; develop and promote biogas and biomass systems for 20 institutions as well as provide maintenance for 5,000 institutions already installed with renewable energy systems.
“It is the first plan to be prepared by REREC, although there are two others that have been developed under REREC’s predecessor, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) since its inception in 2006.
“This plan comes at a time when the energy sector in Kenya has undergone restructuring under the Energy Act (2019) that gives REREC a broader mandate on renewable energy development,” Gicharu said.