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{
"id": 91448,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/91448/?format=api",
"text_counter": 89,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Murungi",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Energy",
"speaker": {
"id": 93,
"legal_name": "Kiraitu Murungi",
"slug": "kiraitu-murungi"
},
"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are still continuing with our programme of connecting 1 million new customers to electricity by 2012. We had a programme of connecting 200 customers to electricity every year. But now, we are above target because in the last financial year, we connected 214,408 customers to electricity. Regarding the Rural Electrification Programme, as you are aware, we have projects to connect new customers to electricity in all the 210 constituencies of this country. We are undertaking affirmative action in the marginalized parts of this country. A total of 179 rural electrification projects have been completed, out of which 400 projects have been energized. The balance of 679 projects will be commissioned within the next four months because we are now connecting at a rate of 170 projects per month. I know that Members of Parliament have raised issues regarding the low progress that has been made in energizing the completed projects. We had some problems with transformers but those problems have now been fixed. We are now accelerating the commissioned projects and we are now energizing them at a rate of 170 projects per month. We have said that the answer to high energy costs and the liability of electricity in this country is the exploitation of the enormous geothermal resources within the Rift Valley. During the 2009/2010 Financial Year, 11 geothermal production wells were drilled at Olkaria I and Olkaria IV Geothermal fields, raising the number of wells drilled so far to 27. Contracts have been signed to develop two geothermal power plants of 140 mega watts each during this financial year. With the completion of those projects – there are four projects - we intend to increase geothermal power production to 500 Megawatts. We believe that with those activities, Kenya will see improved delivery of clean energy services at more affordable rates as we go along. Let me now turn to elaborate on specific energy supply and distribution enhancement activities for which I seek approval of Kshs34,072,869,390 on Development activities and Kshs283,311,200 on Recurrent support services during this financial year. Under Head 428 – Headquarter and Administrative Services, we are seeking a sum of Kshs177,084,784. Those funds will be used for the following activities. We will use them to support capacity building for my Ministry, Rural Electrification Authority, Energy Tribunal and the Energy Regulatory Commission. We also intend to meet the costs of local consultants engaged by my Ministry to assist in the management of multi-donor funded energy sector recovery and electricity expansion projects. We also intend to purchase and install wind masts and data loggers for collection of wind data to facilitate the private sector investment in wind power generation. Under Head 429 – Headquarters, Administration and Planning Services, we are seeking Kshs4,000,000. The money will be used to undertake monitoring and evaluation of projects that are under implementation. Under Head 430 – Wood Fuel Resources Development - we are seeking Kshs211,200,000 which we shall use to rehabilitate and preserve catchment areas which provide water for our hydro-power generation. We shall also undertake research, development and demonstration of appropriate wood fuel production technologies, especially in our energy centers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, under Head 433 – Alternative Energy Technologies - we are seeking a sum of Kshs590,784,500 to undertake various renewable energy activities which will include purchase and installation of wind masts and data loggers for collection of wind data using local resources to facilitate private sector investment in wind power generation. We shall use it also for feasibility studies on small wind power potentials in 14 identified sites. We will also install bio-gas digesters using sewage in institutions of higher learning to supplement their use of grid power, LPG and wood fuel, especially in our schools. Under head 435, the broad Head of National Grid System, we are seeking a sum of Kshs15,644,000,000. The funds will be used to cover the following broad activities. We want to set up a new power generation park at the Coast. We intend to procure a plot at an appropriate show site for the construction of a jetty for landing imported coal and natural gas, and for the establishment of a power generation park, especially in the Kilifi area. We also intend to use part of those funds to undertake studies critical to the preparation of our time bound roadmap for the development of our nuclear power plant by 2017. We are also going to construct two geothermal power plants of 140 Mega Watts each at Olkaria I and Olkaria IV. We are also going to construct a 14 Mega Watts wind farm at the Ngong Hills. Part of the funds will also be used for the construction of several power transmission lines. There will be Mombasa-Nairobi, Rabai-Garsen-Lamu and Kindaruma-Mwingi-Garissa, among others. We are also going to expand and upgrade our power distribution systems to improve the quality and accelerate consumer connectivity under the Rural Electrification Programme. Under Head 436 - Geothermal and Coal Resource Exploration and Development - my Ministry is seeking a sum of Kshs11,622,000,106 for geothermal and coal resource assessment. Those funds will be used for steam production drilling in Olkaria I and IV and procurement of two rigs for Geothermal Development Company (GDC), especially to support geothermal exploration, especially in Menengai. We are also going to use the funds to expand our drilling for coal in Kitui and Mwingi districts and procurement of rough terrain vehicles for those activities. Under Head 444 - Rural Electrification Programme - we are seeking a sum of Kshs5,433,000,000. The money will be used by the Rural Electrification Authority for National and Isolated Networks Expansions to connect new electricity customers in different parts of the country and, in this, we are working very closely with Members of Parliament."
}