Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix K. Koskei has witnessed the commitment by Co-operative Bank of Kenya to invest KES 967.5 million in the development of the Taunet Small Hydropower Project in Nandi County.
The project, valued at KES 1.7 billion, will see the construction of a 2.8-megawatt run-of-river hydropower plant aimed at supplying clean and reliable energy to Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) factories in the region.
Once completed, the plant is expected to reduce reliance on the national grid, lowering electricity costs associated with tea processing. This move is likely to improve efficiency within tea factories and strengthen the overall competitiveness of Kenya’s tea sector.
Officials say the project will directly benefit thousands of smallholder tea farmers by cutting operational costs and improving earnings linked to tea production.
The investment also highlights Co-operative Bank’s continued focus on financing sustainable infrastructure projects and supporting agricultural value chains across the country.
The commitment event was also attended by Robert Kibet, Chairman of Chebut Tea Factory, who expressed support for the project and its expected impact on local farmers and the tea industry.
The Taunet hydropower project is part of broader efforts to expand renewable energy use in Kenya while supporting key sectors of the economy.
