Ranchers lobby against Sh63bn power project

Kenyans could continue grappling with electricity shortages and high costs longer after a Sh63 billion project to import power from Ethiopia met stiff opposition from wildlife conservationists in Laikipia.

The group has approached the World Bank, one of the financiers of the project, to protest at a proposal by the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) to route the high voltage power line through Laikipia.

They argue that the power line through their ranches would disturb the wildlife in addition to negatively affecting their multi-million shilling eco-tourism businesses, which are hinged on pristine wilderness.

Designed to be 10,045 kilometres long, 612 of which are in Kenya, the electricity line will be the longest in the country and has the capacity to carry 2,000 megawatts of power.

Its construction would be funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfD) to the tune of $762 million (Sh63 billion).

Ketraco managing director Joel Kiilu said last week that the construction is set to start in December and end either in December 2016 or early 2017.

“Our aim is to replace the use of thermal-generated power with imported hydropower, which could be 10 times cheaper.

We must make sure there is enough and affordable electricity in all parts of the country for Kenya to develop,” Mr Kiilu told a volatile consultative meeting between his firm, the conservationists, and the community in Nanyuki last week.

Shortest route

Mr Kiilu said the proposed route of the power line through Laikipia was the shortest, cheapest, and easiest to work on.
It avoids difficult terrain and urban development, he noted.

The firm has already set aside Sh400 million this year to compensate the owners of the properties lying on the wayleave. Mr Kiilu said Ketraco is ready to take mitigating measures to protect tourism and the environment.

So far, the project has not met any opposition in Moyale, Marsabit, Isiolo, Nyandarua, and Nakuru counties, where it is also proposed to pass.
“Wilderness is key to eco-tourism.

This kind of development is not sensitive to this. The importance of the wilderness must be considered as this is the last frontier for tourism,” Dr Mike Harrison of Northern Rangelands Trust told the forum.

Tourism would be dead

He said some studies had already shown that tourism would be dead in the next five years should the power line pass through the county.

The main fear is that the 45-metre pylons would adversely affect wildlife and cattle pastures as well as give access to poachers.

Twenty-six community conservancies under Dr Harrison’s organisation employ 300 people and generated $31 million in 2011, $48 million in 2012, and have a projection of $68 million this year.

Dr Harrison said this revenue could grow tenfold in a decade but this was now impossible as some investors were already pulling out of a major tourism project because of the power line route as they are not prepared to take the risk.

“We are not in principle against the project, but what we are questioning is whether there is enough consideration for the local economy. We want a rational assessment on the project,” he said.

The conservationists have prepared a 14-page document citing discrepancies in the environmental impact assessment report of the project that had been approved by the National Environment Management Authority.

But experts from Ketraco defended the project, saying it would bring down the cost of power as well as create millions of jobs for Kenyans and had minimal impact on the environment.
Provide huge relief

It would particularly provide a huge relief to manufacturers, where energy accounts for a large percentage of production costs.

“All developed countries have many more such power transmission lines than Kenya and they have never been known to harm anybody. We have power lines in Tsavo National Park and they have not affected the number of tourists going there,” said Dr John Mativo of Ketraco.

According to him, the power in the proposed line will be transmitted as DC, which will be converted to AC at the Suswa sub-station before connecting it to the national grid. This is to protect wildlife.