Special lines to cushion large power users during outages

Kenya Power has turned its focus on increasing electricity sales to industrial consumers as it strives to remain profitable.

Speaking in Kisumu on Friday where the company hosted representatives from the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Kenya Power boss Ben Chumo said dedicated lines will be set up to serve the class of customers in order to cushion them in the event of blackouts.

This is in addition to a Sh13 billion programme that the company is currently undertaking that will see it upgrade existing substations and distribution lines countrywide, and setting up of new infrastructure in some areas.

FASTCONNECTION

The exercise began in Nairobi’s Industrial area in April and will take two years to cover the entire country.

“We intend to set up dedicated lines for large customers so that in case of outages they can be served through the direct lines.

“This will not only be of benefit to the customers, but the company as well,” said Mr Chumo.

He said that connectivity time will be reduced to 30 days from the current average of 163 by the end of this year, as a move to enhance ease of doing business.

“Marketers within the company will take responsibility to speed up customer applications so as to reduce the connectivity time,” he said.

About 60 per cent of Kenya Power’s revenue from electricity sales comes from industrial consumers who are estimated at 5,000 out of the company’s more than 1.2 million customers.

The firm’s profit after tax dropped by 5.74 per cent to Sh4.35 billion in the year to June 2013 from Sh4.61 billion that was posted during the previous period on account of increasing interest costs on debt taken to finance network expansion.