Nairobi — On January 26 every year, the world observes the International Day of Clean Energy, established by the United Nations General Assembly to drive clean energy solutions that care for the planet and improve lives.
The day reflects growing global awareness of energy's role in mitigating climate change, rising inequality, and economic instability. While fossil fuels have powered industrial growth for decades, they have also driven greenhouse gas emissions to unsustainable levels. Transitioning to clean energy has emerged as the clearest path to climate safety and economic resilience.
This global commitment is reflected in frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy and SDG 13 on climate action. Kenya has embraced this agenda with conviction. More than 90 per cent of the country's electricity is generated from clean sources, including geothermal, hydro, wind and solar, placing Kenya among global leaders in renewable energy.
This commitment is further reflected in Africa's Agenda 2063 and Kenya's Vision 2030, both of which prioritise sustainable, reliable energy systems that support industrial growth, job creation, and universal electricity access.
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Yet energy transition is not only about how power is generated; it is equally about how that power is transmitted. Clean energy that cannot reach homes, hospitals, farms, and factories remains a promise unfulfilled. This is where electricity transmission becomes essential, with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) playing a defining role.
Transmission infrastructure is the backbone of the energy transition. Clean energy resources are often located far from demand centres, including geothermal in Olkaria, wind in Marsabit, solar in Garissa, and hydropower along river basins.
KETRACO's mandate to plan, design, build, and operate high-voltage transmission infrastructure places it at the intersection of climate ambition and everyday life. Through power evacuation, grid expansion, reinforcement, and interconnection, the company ensures clean energy flows efficiently to consumers, supporting Kenya's transition to a low-carbon economy.
During this year's International Day of Clean Energy, that mandate takes shape with the completion and energisation of the 132kV Kitui-Wote Transmission Line, a project that demonstrates how global climate commitments translate into local impact.
The 65-kilometre Kitui-Wote line is part of the 156-kilometre Mwingi-Kitui-Wote-Sultan Hamud corridor, implemented under the Kenya Power Transmission System Improvement Project (KPTSIP). The other sections, Mwingi-Kitui (46.5 km) and Sultan Hamud-Wote (44.5 km), had already been completed and energised, making the corridor fully operational.
This line is a bi-directional system, offering alternative power supply paths that significantly improve reliability across Eastern Kenya.
Beyond the engineering achievement, the true value of the Kitui-Wote line lies in its social and economic impact. Reliable electricity is a catalyst for growth, particularly in counties such as Kitui and Makueni, where agriculture and small enterprises form the backbone of local economies.
Stable power enables value addition through storage and processing, reducing post-harvest losses and increasing farmer incomes. In apiculture, for which Kitui is well known, electricity supports honey processing, packaging and branding at scale. In dairy, power allows for milk chilling and processing into other products such as cheese and yoghurt while improving quality and reducing losses.
The benefits extend well beyond agriculture. Health facilities depend on uninterrupted electricity for diagnostics, refrigeration, digital records and emergency services. Schools, vocational centres and ICT hubs require reliable power to prepare young people for a modern, technology-driven economy. Small businesses, artisans and traders can operate longer hours, protect their stock and expand their operations.
The significance lies in how power now flows through the network. Originally, KETRACO constructed the Kindaruma-Mwingi-Garissa line, enabling Mwingi to receive hydropower from Kindaruma and solar power from the 50-megawatt Garissa Solar Plant.
At the other end, Sultan Hamud draws power from Juja Substation, part of the Dandora-Juja-Rabai line, which carries a mix of hydropower from Masinga, Kindaruma, and Kamburu dams, and geothermal energy from Olkaria.
With the Kitui-Wote section now energized, the systems are fully interconnected. Wote and Sultan Hamud can access power from Garissa and Kindaruma via Mwingi and Kitui, while Mwingi and Kitui can draw from Sultan Hamud's hydro-geothermal mix. This strengthens the grid, enhancing voltage stability, reducing outages, and improving power quality.
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The energisation of the Kitui-Wote Transmission Line on the International Day of Clean Energy is both symbolic and substantial. It demonstrates that clean energy transitions succeed through deliberate investment in infrastructure that connects people to power.
At the system level, the impact is even greater. Kitui currently consumes about 6 megawatts, while Wote uses about 5 megawatts. The newly energised line initially delivers 20 megawatts and has the capacity to carry 80 megawatts, securing decades of growth.
Across its projects, KETRACO's approach reflects the compound effect, as Darren Hardy calls it. The company pursues small, disciplined investments repeated across regions, creating national transformation. Like the U.S. interstate highways once did for trade and mobility, Kenya's transmission grid is knitting counties together into a single economic space powered by clean energy.
As Kenya continues to expand its clean energy capacity, transmission will remain the critical link between generation and development. When clean energy is reliably delivered, it becomes a powerful driver of inclusive growth, resilience and shared prosperity.
The writer is Ag. MD and CEO of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited.
