16 counties set to complete energy plans

The energy sector has registered a key milestone as 16 counties are now set to complete their County Energy Plans (CEPs) which forms the building block for the Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP).  

“This is a strategic journey towards achieving Sustainable Energy for all by 2030 under the SE4All framework.  Ultimately, we are looking at universal access to clean, reliable, affordable energy,” explains Dan Marangu, Director of Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. 

According to Eng. Isaac Kiva, the Secretary Renewables at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, “Completion of the CEPs is critical because they form the core components of the Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP) as espoused in the Energy Act (2019),” 

Kiva said this early this week in Nairobi during the Close Out Conference for the EU-funded  Sustainable Energy Technical Assistance (SETA) project.

The project has ended after three and a half years. During it’s time, the team at SETA helped the 16 counties to develop their CEPs. 

While appealing for partner support towards enabling the remaining counties to develop their CEPs, Kiva also challenged them to commit resources to finalize their CEPs so that Kenya can have consolidated INEP for rollout.

“We cannot have an INEP that excludes other counties. The INEP is supposed to be all inclusive,” he explained.

Jechonia Kitala from SETA said: “It was fulfilling to see counties transforming from looking at energy from a narrow perspective to a wider holistic one. Counties now are too aware that energy is a key enabler and cannot be engaged in isolation.”

25 counties are yet to start their energy plans and according to experts, it will require about KSh. 300 million to help the counties meet that obligation.