Kenya Power and Lighting Company’s project for rural areas gets support from AFD

Kenya Power and Lighting Company has recently declared that hybrid off-grid systems would be installed to power rural areas in Kenya.

The issue of improving electricity in Kenya's rural areas was on the agenda of recent discussions during the 26^th Annual International Conference of Engineers. The conference recently completed in Mombasa, southern Kenya.

The Annual International Conference of Engineers witnessed the director of Kenya Power and Lighting Company's Director, David Mwaniki saying that the company has a budget of USD 6.7 million to pursue the project.

The connection of some rural areas in Kenya to the national electricity grid will be less profitable for Kenya Power and Lighting Company as the outcome of dispersions of dwellings. However, David Mwaniki said that access to adequate and reliable electricity will assist the increase in production and income-generating activities of local communities to stimulate growth. The project will also create jobs and shorten poverty in the villages.

Kenya Power and Lighting Company intends to pump out funds in off-grid and the (limited liability) company looks forward to the installation of 23 hybrid of grids, Afrik21 noted, which include solar or wind power and generators than run on diesel. These new facilities will be in addition to the existing 27 off grids already operational in several rural areas across the country.

The project announced by David Mwaniki is said to be receiving financial support from the French Government Agency (AFD). The project is highly expected to contribute to diversifying the country's electricity mix and support the government's ambition to achieve a 100 percent electricity access rate by 2020.