The government of Kenya has launched a US $5M solar energy project at the Baricho Water Works in Kilifi County, aiming to reduce the high cost of pumping water to Kilifi and Mombasa counties and improve long-term water security along Kenya’s coast.
The Baricho Solar Water Project is being implemented by the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA) with financing from the World Bank through the Water and Sanitation Development Project (WSDP). The initiative is expected to substantially lower electricity expenses, strengthen the reliability of water supply and reduce operational costs once it becomes operational in March 2026.
Currently, CWWDA spends between US $465,000 and US $542,000 each month on electricity to pump water from boreholes and transport it over long distances to consumers. According to CWWDA project coordinator Engineer David Kanui, the heavy dependence on grid electricity has been a long-standing challenge for the facility.
“Water is pumped from boreholes and lifted again to reach consumers in Kilifi and Mombasa. This process consumes enormous amounts of electricity, making power costs one of our biggest operational challenges,” Kanui said during a project inspection tour.
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Scope of work
The project involves the construction of a 4.6MW solar power plant, which under the first phase will supply electricity to 11 boreholes and the high-lift pumping system serving Malindi. Once Phase One is fully operational, CWWDA expects to cut its monthly electricity bill by approximately US $78,000. Kanui noted that the savings will lower operating expenses for water service providers, with the benefits eventually passed on to consumers through improved efficiency and sustainability.
The solar facility has been designed as a hybrid system that integrates solar energy with grid electricity. During daylight hours, pumping operations will run on solar power, while grid electricity will be used at night and during periods of low solar generation.
“We expect to operate on solar power for about eight hours a day and rely on grid electricity for the remaining hours. That alone will significantly reduce our power costs,” Kanui explained.
Plans are already underway for a second phase of the project, which would extend solar power to the high-lift pumps supplying Mombasa. However, funding for Phase Two has not yet been secured. Kanui said the second phase could reduce electricity costs by as much as 30%, with future upgrades likely to include battery storage to enable full off-grid operation.
Construction of the solar plant began in October 2025 and is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2026. The contractor, however, is ahead of schedule and may complete the works by mid-February.
Baricho Water Project solar engineer Sarah Mbuaya said the project is about 60% complete, with the first section expected to be commissioned before the end of the month.
“The goal is to lower operational costs while making the water supply more sustainable. The project also supports Kenya’s transition to green energy, which has environmental benefits,” Mbuaya said.
She added that the solar panels have a lifespan of more than 25 years, while the lithium-ion batteries installed for system stability are expected to last between 10 and 15 years. The project also positions CWWDA to take advantage of future net-metering arrangements, allowing surplus electricity generated during the day to be fed back into the national grid.
