Lodwar town is set to join Kenya’s national electricity grid for the first time since independence, potentially ending decades of reliance on costly diesel generators.
The Turkana County capital has depended on diesel powered generators for its electricity, with Kenya Power spending about KSh900 million annually on fuel to keep the town and surrounding areas supplied.
That could soon change as the utility company moves towards completing a 66/11kV substation and a 90-kilometre 66kV transmission line from Lokichar to Lodwar.
The two projects, funded by the national government at a combined cost of KSh1.01 billion, are expected to provide a more stable electricity supply to Lodwar and its environs, which have a population of more than 80,000.2027 Polls:
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One-year fuel bill against a KSh1bn project
The scale of the investment becomes clearer when compared with what Kenya Power currently spends running the generators.
According to the company, the annual diesel bill of about 900 million shillings is almost equivalent to the entire cost of constructing the new power line and substation.
Kenya Power Managing Director and CEO Joseph Siror said the grid connection would therefore bring both reliability and significant savings. “The cost of extending the power line from Lokichar to Lodwar is almost the same as what we are currently using to fuel the generators in a year,” Siror said.
Once the projects are completed and the generators are decommissioned, the company expects to save up to KSh900 million annually in diesel costs.
The generators have also struggled to cope with Lodwar’s high temperatures and rising electricity demand. Frequent breakdowns have contributed to power rationing in the town and surrounding areas.
“Since independence, the people of this area and this county have depended on generators, which are not very effective especially in this area, where the temperatures are quite high,” Siror said.
What reliable power could mean for Turkana
Beyond the savings for Kenya Power, the grid connection could have a direct impact on households, businesses and public services in Lodwar.
Reliable electricity is expected to support schools, hospitals, cold-storage facilities, ICT hubs and small businesses that have had to operate within the limitations of generator-based power.
For hospitals and clinics, a more dependable supply could improve the storage of vaccines and other temperature-sensitive medical supplies.
Businesses could also extend their operating hours, while improved electricity access could support emerging ICT and digital enterprises in the county. The connection is also expected to support sectors with potential to drive Turkana’s economy, including livestock trade, tourism, agribusiness and mining.
For residents, the change could be as basic as having electricity that does not disappear when generators break down or fuel costs constrain supply.
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A new chapter for Lodwar
Kenya Power says the projects are now at the tail end of construction.
Siror recently inspected the works to assess their progress. He was accompanied by KETRACO Acting Managing Director Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias, Kenya Power North Rift Regional Manager Eng. Mary Kirui, Turkana County Business Manager Sila Okode and staff from the Lodwar office.
The project is part of efforts to extend grid electricity to areas that have historically depended on isolated power systems.
For Lodwar, the transition from diesel generators to the national grid would mark more than a change in how electricity is produced.
It could remove one of the major constraints facing a rapidly growing county capital while cutting the cost and emissions associated with running diesel generators.
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