Garissa Solar Plant Ushers in New Era of Clean, Reliable Power for Northern Kenya
Northern Kenya is experiencing a historic shift as the Garissa Solar Power Plant delivers reliable electricity to communities that have long endured frequent blackouts and high energy costs. Spanning 85 acres under the scorching North Eastern sun, the 50-megawatt installation is now powering businesses, homes, and public services across Garissa County, opening up new economic and social opportunities. Residents say the steady flow of affordable power has transformed their daily lives, marking one of the region’s most significant development milestones in decades.
The solar project, commissioned through a partnership between the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) and China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Co-operation (CJIC), represents a major investment in Kenya’s renewable energy future. Constructed at a cost of Sh13.58 billion, it is the largest solar plant in East and Central Africa. Before its launch, Garissa relied heavily on costly diesel generators and unstable power connections, even after transmission lines linked the county to the national grid in 2019. With abundant sunlight available year-round, the solar plant was designed to meet rising demand while cutting reliance on fossil fuels. It now contributes roughly 2 per cent of Kenya’s national electricity supply.
The benefits are already visible across the county. Night markets that once went dark now buzz with music and solar-powered lighting, clinics can keep vaccines cold, and students have dependable lighting for evening studies. Small businesses are also thriving. Salon owner Aisha says she previously closed at 5 p.m. due to lack of electricity, but now serves more customers later into the evening. Young entrepreneurs like Mursal have launched new ventures such as fresh juice shops, confident their investments will not spoil during outages. The plant has also created local job opportunities, from cleaning solar panels to technical maintenance work, alongside major community projects such as a borehole, school, dispensary, and road improvement.
As Kenya aims to expand solar generation and increase national access to clean energy, the Garissa plant is widely seen as a blueprint for powering remote and underserved regions. Energy experts say the project demonstrates the transformative potential of tapping Northern Kenya’s vast solar resources to fuel economic growth, improve public services, and uplift livelihoods. With the government targeting hundreds of additional megawatts of solar capacity, Garissa’s success signals a future where renewable power becomes a cornerstone of development across the country’s arid and semi-arid lands.