Treasury Approves KSh 3.45 Billion Solar Lighting Project in Eldoret

The National Treasury has officially approved a KSh 3.45 billion solar power and street lighting project for Eldoret City, marking a major boost for the fast-growing urban centre.

The approval, which was granted on April 10, 2026, now allows the project to move to the next stage of contract negotiations under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

This project is expected to help modernise Eldoret by shifting public lighting to renewable solar energy while improving safety, reliability, and energy efficiency in major public areas.

According to the project plan, Eldoret will get a 3MW solar power plant supported by a 9MWh battery energy storage system. This system will help power street lights and some county facilities without depending fully on the national electricity grid.

This means that even during power blackouts, the city’s streets and key public spaces will remain well-lit.

The project will also see the installation of about 12,000 new LED street lights and 90 high-mast lighting towers across the city.

In addition, the county plans to repair 2,271 street lights that are currently not working.

Existing street lights that are connected to the main power grid will also be converted to use solar energy.

Apart from streets, important public places such as county offices, traffic lights, parks, and other public amenities will also benefit from the new renewable energy system.

The project will introduce modern smart LED lights to replace old standard bulbs.

These new lights are expected to come with smart controls and CCTV cameras with facial recognition technology, which will help improve security in the city.

The system will also include an underground fibre optic network to allow real-time monitoring and quick maintenance whenever faults occur.

This is expected to make Eldoret not only brighter but also safer and more technologically advanced.

The development comes nearly two years after Eldoret was officially elevated to city status, becoming Kenya’s fifth city after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru.

According to the Uasin Gishu County Government, the project is expected to have an immediate impact by supporting a 24-hour economy.

With better lighting and improved security, businesses may be able to operate for longer hours, especially at night.

County officials believe the project will also help reduce crime and improve public safety.

Project Coordinator Silas Leting said Eldoret is working towards matching the standards of modern cities in developed countries through innovation, sustainability, and improved security.