The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Kenyan government have funded a US$150mn power connectivity project that in the first phase will enable 314,200 more households to access electricity by connecting them to the grid
Known as the Last Mile Connectivity Project, the initiative is intended to add an additional 1.5mn Kenyans in rural areas to the national grid. The project involves extending the low voltage network to reach households located within a 600 metre-radius from a transformer, thereby reducing the cost of accessing electricity for the customer and supply for the power provider. Overall, the Last Mile Connectivity Project is intended to connect 70 per cent of Kenyan households by 2017.
Already, Kenya Power has identified 5,320 transformers located in 47 counties for the implementation of the first phase of the project beginning this September. Each potential customer will be required to pay US$165.
The second and third phases will include installation and extension of the low voltage network to reach an additional 500,000 customers.
Additionally, the government through the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) will connect potential customers near installed transformers supplying public utilities.
– Mwangi Mumero
