2.4 million families in Kenya are set to benefit from a government plan where it seeks to connect the households to subsidised power.
The 2021/22 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) released by the Treasury CS Ukur Yatani on Monday, January 25, stated that the country was on track to achieve universal electricity coverage by the year 2022.
He stated that the new connections would be done through the grid and off-grid solutions.
"The government is set to boost power generation from the current 2,819 MW to over 6,700 MW with major energy sources being geothermal, coal, and wind, solar and hydro," the document read in part.
CS Yattani observed that 3,082.9 km of additional transmission lines were set for construction, setting up of 37 transmissions and 45 distribution substations to improve system reliability and stability and reduce electricity losses.
He noted that the last mile connectivity programme crossed the 7.2 million household connections mark which translated to 75% access.
In order to promote a 24-hour economy and enhance security in designated areas, 110,000 street lights have been set for installation and a further 3,003 public facilities include schools, trading centres, health centres, water points and administrative offices will be connected to electricity.
The Ministry divulged that the programmes under the “Big Four Agenda" continue to benefit from the lower cost energy initiative.
"Energy has also been promoting the food and nutrition agenda by supporting the initiative to enhance large scale food production and drive smallholder productivity through irrigation, value addition, connecting electricity to water points and livestock holding grounds.
"With regards to affordable housing for all Kenyans, the energy sector is boosting the initiative by supplying electricity to the housing units," the CS added.
The Government has also completed a National Geo-Spatial Mapping exercise that has allowed cataloguing of the wealth of the natural resources and improving the management and use of land.
Electricity prices have been on the rise, with Kenyans paying record-high electricity bills for the period between January 15 and February 15 after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) adjusted electricity tariffs, charges, prices and rates.
In the changes which were gazetted on Friday, January 2021, EPRA revised the foreign exchange fluctuation charge to Ksh 1.31 (131.66 cents), the highest ever since 2018.
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