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Ruto: Kenya to upgrade national power grid from 3 to 100 Giga Watts by 2040

By 2030, the President said, the country hopes to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy.

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by SHARON MWENDE

News04 September 2023 - 10:07

In Summary


  • He said renewable energy resources are not only an environmental necessity but also a catalyst for socio-economic prosperity.
  •  This is through their fueling of sustainable development, driving economic growth, creating jobs and uplifting citizens from energy poverty.
President William Ruto with his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and other delegates during the African Climate Summit at KICC on September 4, 2023.

President William Ruto has said the country will upgrade its national power grid from three Giga Watts to 100 Giga Watts by 2040.

He said of the 3 Giga Watts which is currently operating, 92 per cent of the power is renewable.

By 2030, the President added, the country hopes to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy.

"Our national grid currently operates at three Giga Watts. Our ambition is audacious yet achievable: 100 per cent renewable by 2030 and a 100 Giga Watt grid, entirely renewable, by 2040," he said.

He was speaking on Monday during the opening of the African Climate Summit at the Kenyatta International Conventional Centre.

He said renewable energy resources are not only an environmental necessity but also a catalyst for socio-economic prosperity.

This is through their fueling of sustainable development, driving economic growth, creating jobs and uplifting citizens from energy poverty.

Renewable energy, Ruto said, has the power to do all these while reducing the people's carbon footprint, in Africa and globally.

"The possibilities are not just promising; they are transformative," he added.

Ruto expressed confidence that Africa has the potential to power all energy needs with renewable resources and help other regions achieve the same.

"The continent has enough potential to be entirely self-sufficient with the mix of wind, solar, geothermal, sustainable biomass and hydropower. Africa can be a green industrial hub that helps other regions achieve their net zero strategies by 2050," he said.

He added that this can be achieved owing to the nearly year-round sunshine which makes Africa's solar potential perfectly suited to industrial energy demand.

Ruto however noted that there is a challenge in bridging the investment gap to enable the continent to meet its energy needs.

He said this is in the creation of demand on a sufficient scale to provide incentives for appropriate private investment in energy infrastructure development.

He noted that nearly 600 million Africans lack access to electricity with another 150 million grappling with unreliable power and almost a billion have no access to clean cooking energy.

"But the abundance of our renewable resources, the possibilities offered by new technologies and opportunities created by new climate financing, offers enormous possibilities. We have the capability to provide reliable, and cost-effective energy access to all Africans by 2030," Ruto affirmed. 


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