Geothermal constituted the largest source of power distributed by Kenya Power in the half-year period to December 2023.
- During the period, the utility firm power mix comprised of Geothermal (40 per cent) followed by hydros (23 per cent) wind (14 per cent), thermal (8 per cent), cross border import (6 per cent) and solar (4 per cent).
- The company said improved hydrology has enabled it dispatch minimal thermal power.
- During the half-year period to December 2023, Kenya power surpassed its connectivity target by 13.87 per cent.
KPLC connected 256,206 new customers to the grid against a target of 225,000 customers. The new customer connections increased the total customer base to 9,454,819 customers.
“We have exceeded our target for the half-year period and we are on course towards the attainment of our annual target, which will positively impact the journey towards universal access to electricity by the year 2030,” KPLC MD Joseph Siror said.
The accelerated connectivity was driven by the availability of meters and the deployment of Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) which is meant to fast-track meter installation for new connections across the country.
- At the beginning of October 2023 when the rapid results initiative was launched, the total pending new connections stood at 236,924.
- The backlog resulted from protracted court battles that hindered procurement of meters and other materials.
- The company targets to connect 400,000 new customers to the national grid by the end of the current financial year.
Apart from RRI, the company is also banking on the implementation of other projects such as the last mile connection project to achieve its annual connectivity targets.
So far 1,431,423 customers have been connected to the grid through the last mile connectivity project funded by the government and development partners.
Preparations are ongoing for the rollout of phase 4 of the last mile connectivity that is financed by AFDB/EU. The project targets to connect 28,000 customers across 32 counties within a period of 18 months. The utility firm is also gearing for new regulations on ‘Electricity Market, Bulk Supply and Open Access’ gazetted by Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) last week.
- The draft regulations which seek to foster efficiency and open up the power sector to more players apply to generation, importation, exportation, transmission and retail supply of electrical energy.
- Part of it states that the electricity market shall consist of a wholesale and a retail market.
- The wholesale market shall comprise of generation licensees and other licensees who will trade through the intermediary of an operator, who shall be designated by EPRA.
Kengen to Invest KSh 216 Billion in 4 New Geothermal Power Plants in Kenya – Kenyan Wallstreet
