Garissa set for reliable electricity as power substation capacity more than doubles

Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira during an inspection tour of the Raya substation./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Residents and businesses in Garissa are set to enjoy a more reliable electricity supply after the government significantly upgraded the county's Kenya Power substation, a move expected to end years of blackouts and support economic growth.

The upgrade has increased the substation's capacity from 15 megavolt-amperes (MVA) to 38MVA, easing pressure on the electricity infrastructure that has struggled to keep up with Garissa's rapid urban growth and rising power demand.

For years, frequent outages and low voltage have disrupted businesses, particularly those relying on refrigeration, while residents in areas such as Dadaab and Balambala have depended on costly and unreliable diesel-powered mini-grids.

Speaking during an inspection of the installation of the new 23MVA transformer at the Raya substation on Saturday, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira said the project would bring lasting relief to residents who have endured persistent power shortages.

"The President promised this transformer because of the suffering the people of Garissa have been having. We have only had two transformers of 7.5MVA, giving us a total capacity of 15MVA, meaning the maximum power Garissa could absorb was only 15 megawatts," Wachira said.

He said electricity demand in the county has grown sharply over the years, overloading the existing transformers and causing repeated outages and voltage fluctuations.

Wachira said the commissioning of the new 23MVA transformer, while retaining one of the existing 7.5MVA transformers, will raise the available capacity to 30.5MVA, enabling Garissa and neighbouring areas to absorb up to 30 megawatts of electricity.

The upgrade will also pave the way for Dadaab Sub-county to be connected to the national grid.

He noted that electricity demand continues to rise across the country, reflecting increased industrial and commercial activity.

According to the PS, Kenya recently recorded a peak electricity demand of 2,502 megawatts, up from 2,444 megawatts, with national demand having grown by more than 282 megawatts over the past three years.

"Garissa will no longer face constrained demand. We expect electricity consumption to grow rapidly, but the new transformer has enough capacity to support that growth," he said.

Garissa Township MP Dekow Mohamed welcomed the project, saying it fulfils a pledge made by President William Ruto during his recent visit to the county.

He said inadequate electricity has long been one of the biggest barriers to investment, despite Garissa being connected to the national grid.

"Garissa is among the fastest-growing towns in the country, and our transformer had become overloaded. The suffering is coming to an end," Mohamed said.

The MP expressed confidence that the improved power supply would attract new investors, create jobs and accelerate economic growth in the county by providing businesses with dependable electricity.