The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has assured Kenyans that it has deployed mechanisms to ensure electricity generation continues uninterrupted–even if the government announces a total lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Ministry of Health Director-General Dr Patrick Amoth said their preliminary modeling data showed that coronavirus cases by mid-April will hit 5,000, and rise to 10,000 by end of April in the absence of drastic intervention. He also stated that a total lockdown is an option on the table.
“However, in view of the recent directives on social distancing, travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine as well as other public health measures, there may be a delay in reaching the first 1,000 cases,” he said at the Monday briefing.
Last week, the company said it has embarked on a shift system to ensure there are staff in all installations across the country at any given time. KenGen has also decongested its offices by allowing some of its employees to work from home as a way of minimizing contact.
It has also introduced regular disinfection of facilities and rolled out a sensitization campaign across the company. KenGen has expressed its optimism that the country will overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) announced their plans to set up a solar panel manufacturing factory in Murang’ a county with an annual production capacity of 5MW to 10MW. Kenya has improved its global ranking among the world’s largest geothermal powerhouses after it completed the testing of the first unit of the Olkaria V project.
The factory will be located within KenGen Tana Power Station in Murang’a, in an existing warehouse. This is a resource-saving plan while delivering altogether.
“The new solar PV panel plant is expected to have 5MWe to 10MWe (peak electrical power) yearly production capacity,” says KenGen.
The electricity producer has floated an international tender inviting firms to bid for the construction of the plant. The successful company will design, supply, install, train and commission a silicon-based solar PV panel production plant.
It will also provide enough solar PV panel materials for the initial production and also train KenGen staff for on-site and off-site operation and maintenance of the plant. Interested companies visited the site on March 18 and will submit proposals by April 15.
