Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the High Grand Falls Dam project along River Tana.
Speaking in Kitui town during a tour ahead of the upcoming ‘Energy Week’, the CS emphasized that the project remains a top priority for the government.
Addressing stakeholders at Kitui Teachers College, Wandayi described the challenges facing the dam’s construction as “teething problems,” assuring that they will be resolved in due course. He expressed confidence that the project will soon be operational.
Once completed, the High Grand Falls Dam is expected to generate over 400 megawatts of electricity by 2032, significantly boosting the national power grid and reducing the country’s reliance on hydropower.
The CS also highlighted other ongoing initiatives aimed at expanding access to clean energy in Kitui County. These include a KSh 2.3 billion rural electrification project, funded in the last financial year, which will connect more than 13,000 households to electricity.
Additionally, Kitui Teachers College has become the first institution in the county to fully transition to clean energy through the installation of an LPG gas system.
Wandayi further assured residents that the government is working on plans to revive coal mining activities in the Mui Coal Basin to enhance local economic development and energy diversification.
