The Kenya Power Company, popularly known by its NSE ticker KPLC, has embarked on a power line reconfiguring exercise following an uproar over electrocutions.
The embattled power monopoly began by re-routing the line near Lake Nakuru National Park that posed danger to the tourism-friendly flamingos and other birds in the area.
In a statement dated Monday, June 6, the company noted that the re-routing in Nakuru would allow birds to land and take off with ease.
Initially, the lives of birds, including some extremely rare species, had been endangered but the situation is set change following the company's adoption of the installation of perching deterrents and re-configuration of power lines.
In Kinangop, Kenya Power announced that it had embarked on an exercise of redesigning a 3 kilometer power line to offer space for birds to fly around.
Kinangop consists of rare species of birds including the Grey Crested African Cranes.
"The Company will partner with environmental conservation organizations and government agencies to carry out research on the impact of power lines on wildlife in order to come up with feasible and viable recommendations to minimize the impact on the environment and the utility’s infrastructure,” announced Kenya Power Managing Director Eng. Geoffrey Muli.
Other changes are the creation of reflector balls on pylon tops at its Juja Sub-station to prevent birds from perching on the structures.
This comes months after environmentalists globally protested cases of electrocution of both birds and wild animals.
In January 2022, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced the death of a giant rare bird identified as a white stork bird in Mugon Village in Baraton, Nandi County.
The bird had a collar on its legs indicating that it had flown from Poland - 7,000 kilometres away.
In February, three giraffes were also electrocuted to death at Soysambu Conservancy in Nakuru County after coming into contact with low-hanging wires.
