Busia solar firm gets ERC green light to sell power to residents

What you need to know:

Kudura Power East Africa is targeting to sell power to 2,100 households and 300 small businesses in the county from the end of March.
It will sell power to businesses at cost of Sh64.96 per unit which is equivalent to 1 kilowatt or 1,000 watts of power used for one hour.
Businesses will be required to pay a one-off Sh9,280 connection fee.
Households will pay Sh73.08 per unit after paying a one off connection fee of Sh6,640.

A Portuguese off-grid clean energy company has set an end-of-March target to start selling power to Busia residents after getting the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) green light to generate and sell electricity.

RVE.SOL which operates in Kenya as Kudura Power East Africa said it is targeting to sell power to 2,100 households and 300 small businesses in the county from the end of March.

“The Energy Regulatory Commission notifies the general public that it has considered the tariff application made by Kudura Power East Africa for micro-grid solar-pv projects and approved applicable tariffs ... for a period of one year with effect from 1 February, 2019,” said ERC director general Pavel Oimeke in a gazette notice dated March 8, 2019.

Under the ERC tariff guidelines, RVE.SOL, will sell power to businesses at cost of Sh64.96 per unit which is equivalent to 1 kilowatt or 1,000 watts of power used for one hour. Businesses will be required to pay a one-off Sh9,280 connection fee.

Households will pay Sh73.08 per unit after paying a one off connection fee of Sh6,640.

On the other hand public lighting will be sold to the local authorities at Sh29.75 per unit.

More than half of Kenya Power #ticker:KPLC customers (3.6 million) fall within its low-end segment (consuming below 10 units) and spend below Sh300 on electricity per month, or Sh10 a day.

About 15 villages will be covered by RVE.SOL in Busia County. They are Akadetawai, Buyende, Dirakho and Rukada, Makhuritsi, Mudoriko Bwiri A and Bwiri B, Mumbaka Mukhondo and Mugonga, Mufumu, Mukhwayo, Namagumba and Syamakhanga.