The utility firm says it has 236,924 pending connections but promises to connect them within 90 days following the procurement of new meters.
“In the recent past, we have experienced challenges with the procurement of critical materials which has negatively impacted our drive to onboard new customers,” said Kenya Power managing director Joseph Siror.
He was speaking on Tuesday in Nairobi as he launched the firm's Customer Service Week activities. Kenya Power recently started its Rapid Results Initiative to fast-track meter installation across the country.
During the three months, the company says it will connect more than 320,000 customers to the national grid using meters that were procured recently. Through the initiative, the firm says it has installed 10,759 meters for new connections.
“I am happy to note that these challenges have been addressed and we have started receiving meters, which we are deploying to clear pending connections,” said Dr Siror.
Kenya Power has attributed the shortage to protracted court battles over multi-billion shilling tenders for the supply of meters.
“Despite the company’s campaign to raise the national electricity access rate, many customers have been forced to wait for long periods as protracted court battles hindered procurement of meters and other materials,” he said on Tuesday.
The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority has asked Kenya Power to explain the award of a meters supply tender to a firm that failed to honour a previous contract three years ago.
