Kenya Power Targets 150,000 New Connections Under AfDB-Funded Project

Kenya Power has announced plans to connect 150,000 new customers to the national electricity grid under the sixth phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project (LMCP), with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The new connections will include households and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across 45 counties — excluding Nairobi and Mombasa.

The project aims to boost electricity access in underserved areas and help the government meet its goal of universal electricity access by 2030.

Kenya Power’s Managing Director and CEO, Joseph Siror, said the funding will support ongoing national electrification efforts.

“The Government of Kenya has received financing from the African Development Bank toward the cost of implementing the sixth phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project. The funding will go a long way in accelerating access to power across the country,” he said.

This is the third time the African Development Bank is funding the LMCP, having supported Phases I and III, which saw a combined 536,077 customers connected to the grid.

In addition to new customer connections, the current phase will include key infrastructure developments.

These include the construction and upgrade of 13 substations — three new 33/11kV substations, refurbishment of three existing ones, and construction of seven new 33kV switching stations.

The project will also involve laying 211 kilometres of 33kV lines and 14 kilometres of 11kV lines to support schools, hospitals, and water services.

A further 650 kilometres of 33kV lines and 6,798 kilometres of low-voltage lines will be built to enable last-mile electricity delivery to homes and businesses.

To start implementation, Kenya Power has invited bids for consultancy services. The selected firm will design the technical aspects of the project, conduct environmental and social audits, and support procurement and supervision of construction works.

Since its launch in 2015, the Last Mile Connectivity Project has connected 746,867 customers to electricity.

Kenya Power is currently implementing Phase IV and V of the project, which aim to connect an additional 280,000 and 11,000 customers, respectively.

The LMCP is a multi-donor project supported not only by the African Development Bank but also by the Government of Kenya, the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union (EU), and the European Investment Bank (EIB).