World Bank has extended a KSh390 million facility to 14 firms in 14 counties, seeking to use solar energy to light up areas not on the national grid, and benefitting close to 1.3 million people.
The facility will fund the sale of 122, 085 solar home systems and 150,000 clean cooking solutions by July next year.
The targeted counties are West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta and Narok.
The money will be disbursed under the Kenya Off-grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) and seeks to spur the private sector to invest in solar solutions and provide clean lighting and cooking solutions.
Business Daily reports that KOSAP also seeks to construct 157 mini-grids in the 14 counties that will be used to connect about 61,500 households with solar power.
The ministry of Energy says that at least 387 public facilities will also be connected to electricity through the stand-alone solar systems in addition to retrofitting 380 water boreholes with solar-powered water pumps.
Firms tapped under the World Bank project are Barefoot Power Limited, Bboxx Capital Limited, Brenhert Investments Limited, d.light Limited, Econome Limited, Elcom Networks Limited, Equity Bank Limited, Give Limited, Givewatts Limited, Krystal Solutions Limited, MS M-KOPA Solar Limited, Engie Mobisol Limited, Solar Panda Limited, and Solibrium Limited.
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