Three out of four homes in Kenya to get power by 2018

Energy Cabinet secretary Davis Chirchir at a press conference on November 14, 2014. Mr Chirchir said that three out of four households in Kenya will have electricity connection in the next four years. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA |

What you need to know:

  • This follows signing of a Sh12.2 billion loan between the government and the African Development Bank for the Last Mile Connectivity, a project that will be launched in February 2015.
  • In the new plan, applicants will only be required to have a meter box.
  • The state power supplier also intends to use single wire earth return design to minimise the use of poles and enhance paperless billing.

Three out of four households in Kenya will have electricity connection in the next four years.

This follows signing of a Sh12.2 billion loan between the government and the African Development Bank for the Last Mile Connectivity, a project that will be launched in February 2015.

According to Energy Cabinet secretary Davis Chirchir, consumers will also be relieved the burden paying connection fee in advance. Instead, they will be paying the charges through monthly instalment.

This plan could pave the way for low income earners to join the league of electricity users.

INCREASING CONNECTIONS

New applicants are usually charged Sh34,980 for a single phase, and Sh49,080 for a three phase connection.

“Economists and engineers are working on the actual costs for connection under this project. Those who will not be able to afford advance connection fees will be connected and allowed to pay along with the monthly bills.

With this, we target to increase the current household connections from 32 per cent to 75 per cent in four years,” Mr Chirchir said, at the KPLC annual general meeting Friday.

In the new plan, applicants will only be required to have a meter box.

The utility firm also plans to use smart outdoor meters to curb electricity theft. The meters, which will no longer be placed inside premises, will also have a smart functionality to give alerts if tampered with.

PREPAID METERS

The new meters will first be used by the small scale consumers.

“Power theft is more serious when carried out by commercial consumers especially through connections that by-pass meters. We will soon roll out smart metes placed outside the premises that will alert us in case of tampering,” Mr Ben Chumo said.

He added that roll out of prepaid meters will be scaled up in the far flung rural areas in order to cut meter reading costs. So far, over 750,000 consumers are on prepaid system and the number is expected to hit one million by June 2015.

The state power supplier also intends to use single wire earth return design to minimise the use of poles and enhance paperless billing. Over 2.7 million customers were connected to the national power grid by December 2014.

KPLC shareholders approved a 30 cents dividend pay out per ordinary shares during the 93 annual general meeting.