Kenya Power to invest ShS10 billion on new substations

NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenya Power will invest a total of Shs10.45 billion to finance the construction of 36 new substations with the aim of reinforcing the country’s electricity network, the Company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ben Chumo, has said.

Besides enhancing system in readiness for the evacuation of additional power generation under the 5,000+ MW plan, Dr Chumo said the new substations, to be located in 23 counties across the country, will help improve power supply to electricity customers as well as provide capacity to support economic growth.

Speaking during a press conference in Nairobi, Dr Chumo revealed that the substation projects are financed using the Company’s internally generated funds and borrowings and are implemented under the Kenya Electricity Modernisation Project (KEMP).

“KEMP is a government-led initiative being implemented from this financial year with the objectives of increasing the transformation capacity by 412 MVA and development of 724 kilometres of medium voltage lines, increase number of households and businesses with access to electricity and to improve quality of electricity service in targeted areas,” Dr Chumo said.

Among other objectives, he added, KEMP proposes establishment of new primary substations and associated lines as well as upgrade works on existing ones in identified locations countrywide. It also proposes completion of automation projects for Mombasa and Nairobi as well as roll-out for Kisumu, Thika, Nakuru, Eldoret and Nyeri.

At the moment, Kenya Power has approximately 3 million electricity customers which include a milestone achievement of 443,000 connections realised last year.  The Company has an ambitious target of connecting one million customer accounts in the subsequent years beginning this financial year ending June 2015.