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{
    "id": 1378782,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1378782/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 55,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatinga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13582,
        "legal_name": "Wahome Wamatinga",
        "slug": "wahome-wamatinga"
    },
    "content": "realised that some of these agreements have been cast in stone; they cannot be changed, therefore, disadvantaging the consumers. As a result, the Committee found it fit to encourage the Government to get into other new arrangements whereby we can relook at, especially those who are using diesel to generate power. We know that the Kenya Kwanza Government has undertaken to increase the arrangement of affordable housing. This will also mean that there will be increased demand for power. It is, therefore, imperative that we look at the effect of lack of supply. If we have the challenges that we are having today and look at the country-integrated processing parts that are part of the agenda of the Kenya Kwanza Government, we know that the demand for power is going to rise. Therefore, we must look at the generation, distribution and most importantly, the reliability of power. For us to find out where some countries in this part of the world are where power becomes unreliable, we must relook at the power that we are using. That is the reason why the Committee on Thursday this week will be going to Kilifi County so that we can look at the possibility of having modern power technology like nuclear energy. If we do not address the issue of power today, it is important to note that we will not be able to achieve most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because industrialization, affordable housing and improved supply of power will mean that we need to have an alternative source of power that is reliable and most importantly, environmentally clean. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we also realised that most of the power purchase agreements were generated at a time when the country was in a vulnerable situation. Therefore, the suppliers had the advantage over the consumers. We need to look at this situation.. To be able to provide Kenyans with cheap power, we have to import power from neighbouring countries like Ethiopia and Uganda. Moving forward, it is also important that we develop our own strategic sources of power. The Committee realised that geothermal has good potential. Out of the 3,800 megawatts that we consume, we realised that geothermal can give us up to 10,000 megawatts. Currently, we are only getting 30 per cent of the power that we produce from geothermal. We have laws that were put in place several decades ago, especially for diesel- generated power whereby we also realised that the requirement that we have a reserve of heavy oils by these producers is punitive. Since the cost of diesel is a pass-through cost, it makes power an expensive undertaking in this county. For us to make it affordable, we must start looking at the possibility of retailing some of the thermo plants so that we can not only give Kenyans green energy, but also affordable. It is quite interesting to know that the cost of nuclear-generated power goes to about US$2 per kilowatt/hour whereas the diesel generated goes for about 20 times as high as that. The Committee also looked at the management, accountability, transparency and governance of most of the state departments that are responsible for the distribution and generation of power. We realised that there is a need to start looking at how the procurement of these institutions is undertaken. Most importantly, we realised that it is also imperative for us to put systems in place so that we can increase transparency and The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}