NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 16 – The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Manitoba Hydro International (MHI), a Canadian power utility firm, for joint exploration and bidding for electricity business opportunities in Africa.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by KPLC Managing Director, Eng. Joseph Njoroge, and MHI’s Managing Director Nigel Wills highlighted contracting management and technical services to other utilities and countries in the region, for mutual benefit of the two companies.
“The MoU heralded another working relationship between KPLC and MHI, which will integrate and synergise experiences, and ultimately enhance our respective financial performances,” said Eng Njoroge.
He added that besides providing an additional revenue stream for the company, the partnership would afford KPLC staff who work on such projects the requisite international experience and practices, which they could eventually bring back to the company.
“This is an excellent opportunity to benchmark with global standards as our staff will be exposed through training at MHI and out of working with their staff on international projects,” said he underscored.
The cooperation agreement is also expected to elevate the stature of the Kenyan power firm as an active and authoritative player in the power sector outside the national boundaries.
KPLC contracted MHI to offer management services to the company for two years between June 2006 and June 2008, a relationship that was beneficial to the two companies.
Expressing enthusiasm for the partnership, Mr Wills said solutions to unique challenges faced by utilities in Africa should be sourced from other utilities in the region like KPLC, which have a better social, cultural and economic situational understanding of the regional markets.
He noted that huge amounts of donor funds were being channeled to various utilities in the continent to improve respective infrastructures and increase access, adding that MHI and KPLC had the requisite capacity, experience and solutions to successfully and professionally deliver such projects.
Mr Wills said during its two year stint, MHI recognised that KPLC had indisputable strengths and skills among its technical and management staff, which alongside the international expertise of MHI they could jointly leverage to provide sound solutions to challenges faced by utilities in Africa.
