Kenya Power has launched a Ksh.340 million live line laboratory which will see Kenyans saved from perennial power cuts due to faulty lines.
The World Bank-funded technology will help the power utility save up to Ksh.1 billion lost every year due to power outages.
“The live line maintenance technology allows a power utility to reduce planned electricity shutdowns, enhance the stability of power supply and improve revenue generation,” said Kenya Power Acting Managing Director Eng. Geoffrey Muli.
According to Kenya Power, the laboratory will be used to test and certify equipment such as the AC Dielectric Test set equipment used to test the integrity of the insulation of aerial lift devices during operations on live power lines.
The live line maintenance laboratory is the first of its kind in East and Central Africa.
It will also be used to carry out maintenance on high voltage lines, test equipment such as the line hose tester, link sticks and insulating blankets to enhance Kenya Power’s efforts to improve maintenance of its transmission lines.
The Ksh.340 million is part of the Ksh.80 billion credit facility the multilateral lender approved for Kenya in June last year.
From the Ksh.80 billion facility, National Treasury set aside Ksh.5 billion to help Kenya Power settle part of its outstanding debt for the last mile connectivity.
“The National Treasury also provisioned for Ksh.5 billion in the financial year 2022 budget for partial clearance of outstanding Kenya Power receivables against the last mile electrification program”, the World Bank said.
Last Mile Connectivity is an eight-and-a-half-year project set to cost Ksh.77.6 billion with an aim to boost security and converge public facilities to the national grid.
It is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s projects to ensure every Kenyan has access to electricity
