- VR Holding will convert solid waste into electricity in Kakamega
- The project will cost about US$53 million
The Kenyan authorities have contracted Swedish energy company VR Holding to deploy a Waste to Power facility in Kenya’s Kakamega region. The project will cost 6 billion Kenyan shillings (US$53 million).
According to the county governor, Wycliffe Oparanya, the project’s goal is to reduce the cost of electricity bills by 50 per cent. In addition to diversifying the electricity mix and decentralizing power generation, the Kakamega authorities want to provide a sustainable solution to the problem of solid waste pollution. Thus, the recovered solid waste will be collected in the counties of Kakamega, Busia, Homa Bay, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Vihiga, etc.
The construction of the Kakamega Solid Waste-to-Energy plant will also provide employment opportunities for residents, contributing at the same time to the socio-economic growth of the county. Wycliffe Oparanya noted that VR Holding has nine months to deliver the future facility. The project has been delayed for seven years due to negotiations for the acquisition of 15 hectares of land.