Kitui County Government has inked a deal with a Japanese firm, Looop Inc, to build a solar power plant with an output of about 40megawatt by 2021.
The solar power generation company entered into an agreement with Kitui County to set up the Sh6 billion project after signing a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in Tokyo, Japan, in December last year.
Speaking yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Julius Malombe at the county headquarters, Loop CEO Soichiro Nakamura said actual installation of the solar power generation facilities will commence in 2019.
He said his firm will develop and implement the renewable power station while the county administration will provide all the necessary assistance including provision of land site as well as funding part of the budget.
Mr Nakamura said the first phase of the project, which will be constructed at Katoteni in Kitui Rural constituency, is expected to be complete by September 2019 and will generate some 10 megawatts.
This will be the first time the Japanese company is constructing a large-scale solar power plant in Africa outside South Africa, according to the official.
Governor Malombe said the plant will provide cheap, reliable and voluminous electricity which will in turn stimulate establishment of industries thereby boosting the region’s economy.
He said upon completion in 2021, the mega solar establishment will also create over 1,500 direct jobs to the residents besides providing a permanent solution to frequent power outages experienced in Kitui.
Dr Malombe further said the surplus electricity will be sold out through Kenya Power’s grid connection so as to be distributed to other parts of the country.