<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr">Seriously! We can not get a break. </div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Nov 28, 2020, at 14:03, Mwendwa Kivuva via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><a href="https://nation.africa/kenya/business/epra-races-to-strangle-solar-use-3212238?view=htmlamp&__twitter_impression=true">https://nation.africa/kenya/business/epra-races-to-strangle-solar-use-3212238?view=htmlamp&__twitter_impression=true</a><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">The Draft Energy (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) Regulations, 2020 seek to make it a harder and more expensive to manufacture, import, install or maintain solar components and systems and make consumers stick to the expensive and unreliable national power grid.</div><div dir="auto"><div style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:15.4px;line-height:24px" dir="auto"><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">You will need a bachelor’s degree or three courses in engineering to operate as a solar power technician, if the new guidelines drafted by the energy regulator are implemented. </p></div><div style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:15.4px;line-height:24px" dir="auto"><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) has introduced a raft of punitive rules that could stifle the mass switch to cheap solar power by ordinary Kenyans and heavy consumers that has left Kenya Power in financial difficulties.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">According to the regulations, a technician must obtain a licence from the authority in order to design, install, commission or repair a solar photovoltaic (PV) system.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">The permits are granted, based on the capacity of the system to be installed.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Licence classes STI, ST2 and ST3 are for systems with a capacity of not more than 400 watts, 2kW, and 50kW respectively.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Only a technician with a class ST4 licence will be allowed to install solar grids of any capacity.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">A bachelor’s degree is a must if you want to make a career out of installing solar grids. You will also need relevant experience in electrical engineering.<br></p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><br></p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Solar technicians will part with Sh2,250 to Sh6,000 in order to get and renew their licences, while contractors will pay Sh3,000 to Sh6,000.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><br></p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">The contractors must take insurance policies of between Sh1 million and Sh10 million.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><br></p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Solar operators will be slapped with a daily fine of Sh10,000 if they delay to renew their licences, Sh20,000 if they do not issue a completion certificate for a project and the same amount for failing to provide a warranty for installation.</p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><br></p><p style="font-size:1.1rem;line-height:2;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Epra said regulating the industry would ensure solar components and systems meet approved standards.</p></div></div></div>
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