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{
    "id": 1555873,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1555873/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 269,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mandera South, UDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Abdul Haro",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy regarding the status of retrofitting the Elwak diesel- powered off-grid power station with a hybrid solar photovoltaic system. Elwak is the largest town in Mandera County with a steadily growing population and a rising demand for electricity to support domestic business and public utility needs. In order to enhance electricity access in areas far from the national grid, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) commissioned a diesel-powered off-grid stations in remote regions, including the Elwak off-grid station in 2008. However, this diesel-only model has become unreliable, unsustainable and costly due to frequent generator breakdowns, high fuel costs and the rising electricity demand. To address the issue, a hybridisation project was initiated in 2016 to retrofit the Elwak station with a solar photovoltaic system in combination with the existing diesel setup. Although the project is at nearly 80 per cent completion, it stalled since July 2024 due to failure by KPLC to meet the donor condition of onboarding a consultant to assess the work done in order to facilitate payment for the contract. Currently, Elwak is facing the worst power outage since the inception of its electricity supply and there is need to resolve the issue, restore the grid to its full capacity, and fast-track completion of the hybridisation project. It is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy on the following: 1. Steps that the Ministry of Energy is taking to restore Elwak off-grid power station to its required operational capacity of 600 kilowatts to address power outages. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}