Kenya Power to phase-out inefficient household bulbs

A Kenya Power technician fixes a high voltage electricity line on Kenyatta Avenue on November 3, 2015. The company wants to fit energy saving bulbs in local households as it moves to tame the peak demand for electricity across the country. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP   NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• In a notice published on November 27, 2015, Kenya Power invited proposals from eligible bidders for the retrofitting of incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps in Kenyan households.
• It will involve the confiscation of energy-inefficient bulbs from targeted households and replacing them with energy-saving ones.
• In a similar programme carried out in 2010, the electricity distributor collected 1.25 million bulbs from its customers and replaced them with energy efficient ones.

By IMMACULATE KARAMBU
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Kenya Power is seeking contractors to fit energy saving bulbs in local households as it moves to tame the peak demand for electricity across the country.

“The Kenya Power invites proposals from eligible bidders for the retrofitting of incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps in Kenyan households,” said the utility company in a notice published on November 27, 2015.

Qualified bidders have until January 5 to present their proposals.

The project is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).

It will involve the confiscation of energy-inefficient bulbs from targeted households and replacing them with energy-saving ones.

In a similar programme carried out in 2010, the electricity distributor collected 1.25 million bulbs from its customers and replaced them with energy efficient ones.

(READ: Kenya Power counts on smart meters to cut costs and deal with tampering)

The AFD-funded programme is the second phase of the exercise which will involve procurement of three million bulbs for distribution to local households.

The company secured Sh1 billion from AFD, part of which will be used to finance the project to change bulbs.

Local demand for electricity outstrips demand, partly accounting for the high energy costs in the country.

This has led to the chasing away of potential investors to other competitive markets in the region.

ELECTRICITY DEFICIT

According to their financial results for the year ended June 30, local access to electricity currently stands at 47 per cent meaning more than half of the country’s population has no access to power.

To bridge the electricity supply deficit, the government launched a project to increase the installed generating capacity by 5,000 megawatts in a period of 40 months to September next year.

It is hoped that the additional capacity will boost electricity supply to cater for rising demand.