Kenyan authorities have declared an end to future power shortages in the east African state, saying the government will move into solar, wind and geothermal power generation to put an end to blackouts.

The Energy minister, Kiraitu Murungi, said new rules on power management will soon be gazzetted to force all buildings within the city and other major towns to install solar water heaters.

The minister’s statement comes less than two months after the end of a severe power rationing scheme following reduced water levels in the hydropower generating firms due to long droughts.

He said the government had reduced the exploration and project costs in the generation of geothermal energy in a bid to attract them into the field.

Geothermal wells are expensive to sink with one costing approximately Sh490 million ($6.5milion) thus the need for the involvement of the private sector he noted.

“It has also been difficult to attract private sector investments in geothermal due to the extremely high front end costs,” he said.

Source: Afrol News

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