Kenya invests 7.2 mln USD to minimize electricity hitches

Kenya's power utility says it has invested 7.2 million U.S. dollars in a Live-Line Maintenance program for its network in an effort to minimize power interruption.

Kenya Power CEO Dr. Ben Chumo said on Wednesday the program will see maintenance of the electricity distribution network without switching it off.

"This is a new initiative we are deploying to ensure we minimize and eventually eliminate the need to switch off our customers to undertake repair works, routine maintenance, system reinforcement and connection of new customers," Chumo told journalists in Nairobi.

"We are the second utility company in sub-Saharan Africa after Eskom of South Africa to deploy this technology," he added.

Kenya Power has invested 7.2 million dollars in the first phase of the program while the World Bank has injected an additional 2 million dollars towards implementation of the second phase.

The first phase involves training of 72 technicians to operate on distribution lines. The technicians will mainly operate on 11kV, 33kV and 66kV distribution lines.

"The trained live line teams will be able to change rotten poles, repair broken jumpers, undertake routine maintenance work and connect new customers without interrupting power supply to current users," Chumo said.

"This is expected to enhance our revenues as every time we switch off customers we lose sales," Chumo said, adding the Live Line Maintenance program was expected to boost efficiency in power supply, and increase customer's satisfaction.

The program will see the company's 4.7 million current customers enjoy better and reliable supply of power, Kenya Power says.

The program also includes construction of over 100 substations and additional redundancy distribution lines to ensure customers have alternative power sources. Endit