KPC rebuilding network to curb power outages

Kenya Power Company (KPC) is currently stripping the network and rebuilding it afresh to eliminate power outages.

Chief Executive Ben Chumo has said power blackouts are a challenge that the firm is dealing with to enhance quality and reliability of electricity supply.

“One program is the ‘Boresha Stima Viwandani’ which has really helped us to rehabilitate the network especially where we have a high concentration of customers,” he said.

Extensive work has already commenced in Nairobi's Baba Dogo area and in Nyali and Makande in Mombasa in the upgrade of power substations, and establishment of new power lines.

He made the remarks at an energy sector retreat with members of Parliament's departmental committee on energy over the weekend.

“We have had to meet the committee as energy sector players so that they understand us. The meeting is meant to induct the entire membership of this committee to know what generators, distributors, transmission and the independent power producers do,” Mr Chumo said.

COST OF CONNECTION

Mr Chumo added that the cost of connectivity is set to go down after the Ministry of Energy got a US $800 million (Sh70.4billion) five-year funding from the African Development Bank which will be granted to KPC and the Rural Electrification Authority.

“KPC is revising its design mechanism. We are now going to adapt a new design for single phased customers since they make 98 per cent of our customers in the countryside,” he said.

Karachuonyo MP James Rege, a committee member, said the power company needs to ensure that supply of power in the country is stable.

“If the power produced is intermittently on and off, it will still be more expensive especially for the industrial sector. What the country needs is a stable power supply,” he said.