80 suns rising: 34,000 Kenyan homes join the grid — off the grid

Kenya Power is rolling out 80 solar mini-grids worth Ksh6.45 billion (about $50 million) across eight counties — Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Narok, Kilifi, and Kwale — targeting 34,000 households beyond the reach of the national grid. The program runs under the World Bank-funded Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project. Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira inspected the Nanighi site in Tana River County on October 3, where Ksh270 million (about $2.1 million) will build five mini-grids powering 1,353 households — and extend the maternity ward at Nanighi Dispensary. "This project is meant to more than just illuminate homes; we are powering rural clinics, extending business hours, and unlocking local economies," the project statement said.