An aerial view of a 10MT solar-powered cold room with an 18 kWp in-built solar system at City Park Market, Nairobi, pictured on February 20, 2025.
Kenya Power could be denied billions of shillings as county governors turn to solar energy due to high, exorbitant electricity bills.
The huge power costs have been eating into the county government budgets, with some devolved units spending between Sh80 million and Sh100 million to pay bills a month.
Several governors have started installing solar panels in key establishments including county buildings, water projects and street lighting projects to cut costs.
This means utility firm, Kenya Power, could soon lose billions of shillings it has been raking in from electricity bills.
Stung by ever-rising debts of electricity bills, several county governments have begun plans to embrace solar power.
Nairobi County Government is leading the pack. It plans to save at least Sh80 million a month and Sh 1billion annually,by using solar energy in county buildings and street lighting.
Last week, while appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, chaired by Dr Oburu Oginga, Governor Johnson Sakaja revealed plans to embrace solar power as a strategy to cut the electricity bill from Sh100 million monthly.
Solar panels being installed at Lunyerere in Vihiga County to provide hybrid power that will pump water and help cut down on the high cost of electricity bills.
"Nairobi County is putting up measures for harnessing solar power in more than 80 per cent of its facilities and establishments. The implementation of solar energy in county buildings and street lighting will save the county government Sh80 million per month," said Mr Sakaja.
The revelations come amid a recent dispute between the county and the power utility firm over a Sh1.5 billion debt in unpaid electricity bills. Mr Sakaja revealed that Kenya Power had issued a Sh3 billion electricity bill to the Nairobi County Government.
However, after physical verification of the electricity meters, it was established that the bill had dropped to Sh1.5 billion.
Governor Sakaja has made a commitment to pay Sh50 million per month until the bill is settled.
The committee heard that during the joint verification process between the county government and Kenya Power, it was established that some meters were traced to Turkana, Kiambu and Machakos counties.
Nairobi is not alone, several other counties are seeking to tame "costly" electricity bills, that have been pushing up the ever rising pending bills.
Nakuru County has been solarising its boreholes as well as street lighting projects in the city and in towns in a bid to cut down electricity costs.
The county administration says the move will save about Sh30 million per month.
In Murang'a, Governor Irungu Kang'ata says he will install solar panels in key installations, to reduce the huge power bills.
The county has already started the installation of solar pumps in boreholes, Early Childhood Development Education centres and street lighting projects.
Mr Kang'ata said more solar connections have been planned, as a strategy to reduce electricity costs and inject more resources into development programmes.
"Installation of solar energy will save the county government huge power bills and allow my administration to inject more resources into the development projects," said Mr Kang'ata.
Solar-powered cold room units at SokoFresh workshop in Wangige on February 12, 2025.
Samburu County is using solar energy to save Sh4 million annually.
Governor Lati Lelelit plans to lower the county’s Sh50 million electricity costs and reinvest savings into solar projects like street lighting. Solar power is already being used in Achers Post and Maralal towns.
Kiambu County has also turned to solar lighting systems, after revelations that it has been spending Sh1.7 billion annually on electricity bills for street lights.
Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the county gets a monthly electricity bill of Sh 142 million for street lighting, and it could soon get to Sh 200 million a month due to rising power tariffs.
Wamatangi said he has instructed that all street lighting projects be solar-powered.
He said if they fail to introduce a solar lighting system, electricity bills will take up most of the county’s budget.
“The county government will now invest in solar energy, and I have issued a directive that all new street lighting projects be solar-oriented to save on our budget. If the trend continues, we will no longer be able to pay our electricity bills,” said the governor.
In Machakos County, Governor Wavinya Ndeti last year installed solar panels on all county buildings in the county, to cut the cost of electricity in the devolved unit.
Vihiga County has also embarked on solarisation of its water projects to reduce electricity costs.
Nyeri County, which has been spending Sh120 million in electricity bills for streetlights every year, has also turned to solar power.
Newly installed solar system in Nomotio water treatment plant in Samburu County.
Other counties that are turning to use of solar power,include; Nyandarua,Bomet,Uasin Gishu,Mombasa,Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kajiado,Narok, Kericho among others.
As at December last year, the 47 counties owed Kenya Power at least Sh 40 billion in electricity bills.
Some counties like Nairobi, Mombasa and Kiambu top the list of counties that owe KP millions of shillings.
Last year, the utility firm threatened to deploy debt collectors to counties that had defaulted on their electricity bills.
The utility firm even issued a tender for debt collectors to help recover the billions it is owed by defaulters.
EMatara@ke.nationmedia.com
