Three firms sign deal to ease energy crisis

The World Bank on Monday approved three Independent Power Producers (IPPs) chosen by the Kenyan government to provide emergency and temporary power plants at Ruaraka and Embakasi areas in the suburbs of Nairobi, the ‘East African Standard’ reported on Tuesday. It quoted Finance Minister Chris Okemo as saying the approval by the bank would now allow the commissioning of the plants with “the countdown starting on Monday”. “This will enable the government to review the power rationing programme by the end of October,” he said. The first firm was expected to start generation by 1 September, while the other two should be on stream by the third week of October. The three companies chosen to supply the required 105 megawatts are Deutz, Cummins and Aggreko. Energy Minister Francis Masakhalia said on Tuesday that power cuts would continue, “but they will not get worse”.