Kenya power to spend Sh10 billion on network expansion

Kenya Power on Wednesday announced their plans to tackle rampant power outages using Sh10 billion.

In a statement, the power giant said the money would also facilitate the construction of power lines to boost its distribution capacity.

KPLC Managing Director Joseph Siror said the investment is in line with the company's strategy to improve the quality and reliability of power supply in the country.

"The country has witnessed unprecedented interest from local and international stakeholders in the last two years looking to invest and develop Kenya's e-mobility sector. To adequately support e-mobility and other sectors of the economy, we will sustain investments to strengthen the grid and enhance network stability and flexibility for quality and reliable service," he stated

The project is also aimed at helping KPLC address increased cases of power blackouts in the country.

The blackouts are said to have negatively affected the economy.

Siror added that the investment was influenced by the increased demand in the e-mobility and clean cooking sector.

The company also indicated that its customer base had grown from 2.7 million to nine million in the last 10 years.

He said their main aim is to support electric vehicle charging.

"We are aiming at supporting electric vehicle charging, with a recent study indicating that Nairobi's current power infrastructure is strong enough to support the switch to electric for 100 per cent. We want to improve this further through strategic investments that will enhance the flexibility of the network to support this growing industry," he stated.

"As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, Kenya Power will continue to prioritise generation from renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro, wind, biomass and geothermal as guided by the Least Cost Power Development Plan," he added.