President William Ruto declared on Friday, November 11, that Kenya Power (KPLC) would no longer charge new consumers Ksh70,000 for power connection.
The president affirmed that new customers will be able to join to the national grid without restriction.
Ruto stated that under his leadership, charging the sum was no longer essential while addressing the Association of Pension Trustees and Administrators of Kenya.
“A transformer that was designed to support 30 people was before only supporting 15. Why not connect everyone for free since the transformer isn’t being used to its full potential? “ Ruto questioned.
He gave the country the reassurance that his government was developing strategies to lower the cost of energy.
Ruto also disclosed that a system for providing electricity with value addition was being developed.
The president wants to start a rural electrification initiative that is combined with a broadband link as part of his digital super highway plan.
Meanwhile, Kenya Power announced plans to connect rural homes to high-speed Internet as part of the project to take advantage of the country’s rising mobile data usage in December 2021.
Internet services will be offered by KPLC using fiber-optic cables connected to its transmission lines.
Kenya Power in December 2021, announced plans to connect rural homes with high-speed internet as part of the project to capitalise on burgeoning mobile data usage in the country.
KPLC will use fibre-optic cables attached to its transmission lines to provide internet services.
“In the medium to long-term, the company is exploring the lit fibre business to increase the penetration of internet connectivity, particularly in the rural areas,” announced Kenya Power in its 2021 annual report.
However, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who rely on Kenya Power’s network to deliver Internet were alarmed by the company’s intentions.
Business analysts claimed that because KPLC will use its robust electricity transmission network coupled with fiber connections, it would have a significant advantage in linking rural homes with the Internet.
