Extra power lines to serve large consumers - Capital Business
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

"We’ve already started the process of transmission line, the 400kV line from Lamu to Kitui to Nairobi," Keter said/FILE

Kenya

Extra power lines to serve large consumers

The move will help manufacturers, industries and other major users of electricity continue with their business operations with minimum interruptions /FILE

The move will help manufacturers, industries and other major users of electricity continue with their business operations with minimum interruptions /FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 20 – Kenya Power is set to invest Sh2 billion to build additional power lines dedicated to serve its large power customers in the next two years.

Speaking on Thursday during a customer engagement meeting organised by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers in Nairobi, the company’s Chief Manager for Distribution, Joseph Masibo explained that the new lines will eliminate power interruptions for large power consumers and essential service customers during planned shutdowns.

Masibo said the move will help manufacturers, industries and other major users of electricity continue with their business operations with minimum interruptions even as the company minimises revenue losses arising from maintenance works.

“We have identified beneficiary customers and installations and the process of designing alternative supply lines is in progress,” he said.

The project, which will be completed in 2016, will initially benefit the company’s top 100 customers plus 200 essential service customers such as hospitals and security installations before it is extended to other major power consumers.

He added that the company has begun the process of expanding and upgrading the electricity distribution infrastructure in anticipation of the expected 5,000Megawatts generation capacity to be procured in the next three years.

Kenya Power has over 2.4 million customers out of which 5,000 are categorized as large power customers with over 60 percent energy sales.

Over 50 percent of the large power customers are based in Nairobi with Industrial Area and the Central Business District having the highest concentration.

Advertisement

More on Capital Business