Lodwar residents heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday following the installation of two power generators that will bring an end to days and nights of power interruptions caused by rationing.
In September, traders in Lodwar stormed the local Kenya Power station, demanding an explanation for the frequent power outages that have plagued the town for over a week.
The business community also raised their plight at the office of the Turkana County commissioner over the power blackouts.
On Thursday Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, County Commissioner Julius Kavita, Woman Representative Cecilia Ngitit and Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) staff were present during the commissioning and installation of new generators by the Kenya Power in Lodwar.
The installation comes after months of power rationing caused by the breakdown of generators at the Lodwar Power Station, which had disrupted daily life and business operations in the region.
In his remarks, Governor Lomorukai described the new generators as a significant relief to residents and businesses, particularly those dealing with perishable goods, who had borne the brunt of the frequent power outages.
“We want to thank Kenya Power for the launch and installation of these generators, which our people have been waiting for. Our business community, especially those handling perishable goods, have suffered greatly due to the unreliable power supply,” the governor stated.
He also urged Kenya Power to expedite efforts to connect Turkana County to the National Grid and expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for fulfilling his commitment to replace the faulty generators at the Lodwar Power Station.
The Governor highlighted that the prolonged power rationing had forced stakeholders in Lodwar to explore alternative energy sources, such as solar power, to mitigate losses caused by the unreliable electricity supply.
“The power rationing even affected hospital operations. We had begun considering solar energy as a sustainable solution for Turkana County due to the persistent outages,” he added.
He further called for the extension of power connectivity to other areas, such as Kalokol, where the fishing community urgently requires electricity to support their operations.
Woman Representative Cecilia Ishuu expressed the leadership’s appreciation to the Ministry of Energy for fulfilling its promise and pledge.
KPLC has in the past said it plans to spend Sh1.03 billion to establish a 100 km of 66 kV line from Lokichar to Lodwar and construct a substation in Lodwar.
Company manager in charge of Lodwar, Mary Kirui, said the company was working round the clock to provide short-term and long-term solutions to the problem.
By Peter Gitonga