The Kenya Power Acting Managing Director, David Mwaniki says Kenyans are seeking short cuts to get power connected to their homes.
He warned that illegal power connections compromise the quality of power supply and can lead to fatal accidents.
Speaking while visiting Mogeni Tea Factory in Nyamira,Mwaniki said domestic power consumers are impatient to go through the full process of acquiring power to their homes with an assumption that the cost of power connection is beyond their economic reach.
”Power connection is very affordable at the moment courtesy of the of the government-supported last mile connectivity project in our country which offers every Kenyan cheap connectivity irrespective of one’s economic status,” Ag. MD explained.
“There is no need of one risking to be arrested and be taken to court for connecting power illegally, losing his property due to fire outbursts or life once there is a technical hitch because Kenya power is more than ready to connect power to any of their clients who wishes to have their homes lighted up,” He advised.
Mwaniki further noted that Nyamira County residents have planted tall growing trees such as blue gum along power lines which causes frequent power outages in the area as the trees, during windy situations sway thereby hitting power lines causing an automatic power outage.
The MD hinted that government is seriously pursuing other sources of energy including wind and solar energy other than hydro-electricity to generate cheap power that will subsequently trickle down to the consumer.
The Mogeni Tea Factory MD, Stephen Mogeni requested Kenya power to assist them carry out an energy audit in his factory so that he can know whether his consumption is of the right quality and determine whether his is billed correctly because his power consumption is becoming unsustainable.
“I pay up to a tune of averagely Sh. 7million monthly and it is really constraining on the factory’s daily operations which are becoming untenable,” “ Mogeni decried.
The MD toured other areas in the County like the Creamery processing factory in Borabu constituency and a newly put up power sub-station at Konate in the County to boost the quantity of power in the region because of increased number of clients who need power for use and curb the erratic power outages which disrupt smooth and efficient operations for being overloaded.
By Deborah Bochere
