KPLC hands out energy-saving bulbs

The government targets to cut electricity consumption by 60 megawatts when it completes distributing more than one million free energy-saving bulbs in May.

The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), which is implementing the project on behalf of the government through the ministry of Energy, said on Tuesday the project had started in Kibera Highrise Estate.

The power distributor says it has imported 1.25 million 11-watt energy-saving bulbs (fluorescent lamps) with a rating of 15,000 hours, which would replace the same number of ordinary (incandescent) bulbs.

Selected target customers for the project will include domestic customers in various estates, who will get a maximum of three energy-saving bulbs and small commercial customers, schools and health centres which will get up to four.

Two suppliers

Two companies, Lomas & Lomas and Motonguvu E.A Ltd, supplied the bulbs.

The energy-saving bulbs were manufactured by Osram GmbH of Germany at a cost of about Sh380 million. The entire project including distribution will cost about Sh460 million.

The programme is part of the country’s wide-ranging plans to invest in clean energy.

Last year, at an inaugural meeting of the country’s National Task Force on Accelerated Development of Green Energy, Prime Minister Raila Odinga initiated green energy plans, among them, to subsidise the price of solar water heaters for firms, households and public institutions.

There is also a plan to provide interest-free long-term loans for investment in local production of energy-saving bulbs, solar water heaters and other energy saving devices whose production locally is expected to commence within one year.