Who we are
Kenya Power owns and operates most of the electricity transmission and distribution system in the country and sells electricity to over 2.6 million customers (as at April 2014).
The Company’s key mandate is to plan for sufficient electricity generation and transmission capacity to meet demand; building and maintaining the power distribution and transmission network and retailing of electricity to its customers.
The Government has a controlling stake at 50.1% of shareholding with private investors at 49.9%. Kenya Power is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Mission
Powering people for better lives.
Vision
To provide world-class power that delights our customers
Core Values
Customer First
One Team
Passion
Integrity
Excellence
Corporate Structure
The head office is based at Stima Plaza on Kolobot Road in Nairobi’s Parklands area. The Company’s main functions are conducted by 12 divisions. They are: Business Strategy, Infrastructure Development, Network Management, Street Lighting, Customer Service, Regional Coordination, Company Secretary, Supply Chain, Internal Audit, Human Resource and Administration, Finance and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) respectively. The Managing Director and CEO is supported by a team of divisional heads referred to as General Managers (GMs). The GMs also provide leadership and support to line managers in their respective divisions. The Company is further divided into 10 administrative regions: Nairobi North, Nairobi West, Nairobi South, North Eastern, North Rift, Central Rift, Coast, Mount Kenya, South Nyanza and West Kenya. Each region is headed by a regional manager who reports to the GM in charge of Regional Coordination. Operational and customer service functions are replicated in each region. Each of the country’s 47 counties is headed by a County Business Manager who reports to a respective Regional Manager.
Brief History of Kenya Power
The Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited was incorporated in 1922 as the East African Power and Lighting Company Limited to serve Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Its name changed to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited in 1983. Kenya Power is partly owned by the Government of Kenya with 50.1 percent shareholding, and private investors with a 49.9 percent shareholding. Prior to a major power sector restructuring exercise in 1997, Kenya Power also managed all generating stations on behalf of the government. Currently, the Company only manages some diesel and hybrid power generating stations which are owned by the government, and which are not connected to the national grid. Kenya Power is the national system operator (dispatcher of electricity).
Transmission and Distribution
In Kenya, electrical power is generated at between 11kV and 15kV. Electricity is stepped up to 220kV or 132kV for transmission to substations. It is then stepped down to 66kV, 33kV, and 11kV at various feeder points for distribution to consumers. Large industrial and commercial customers are supplied at high voltages to a maximum of 132 kV. Electricity is stepped down to 415v/240v for domestic consumers.
The National Grid
The national grid is the interconnected network of transmission and distribution lines in a country’s power system. The total length of lines in Kenya as at June 2015 was about 59,459 kilometres with various regions linked at 220kV and 132kV. Transmission lines comprise 4,054 kilometres while distribution lines total up to 55,405 kilometres. Kenya Power operates and maintains the country’s national grid and is responsible for power plant dispatch through the National Control Centre in Nairobi.
Major Projects:
a. Kenya Electricity Modernisation Project (KEMP)
The main role of KEMP is to enhance the electricity network in readiness for generation of the 5,000+ MW, establish new primary substations and upgrade works on existing ones in identified locations countrywide. KEMP succeeded the Energy Sector Recovery Project and later the Kenya Electricity Expansion Project (KEEP); both were initiated to rehabilitate ageing power infrastructure, expand the network and improve quality of electricity to existing customers.
b. Last Mile Connectivity Project
The Last Mile Connectivity Project being implemented by Kenya Power aims to increase electricity access to Kenyans, particularly the low income groups to improve livelihood and accelerate economic growth at the micro-economic level. The Project aims at maximizing the utilization of over 45,000 existing distribution transformers spread across the country. This project is part of efforts to accelerate connectivity from the current 41% to over 70% by 2017 and universal access by 2020.
c. GPOBA Electrification Project
This is a connectivity project jointly funded by Kenya Power and the World Banks’s Global Partnership on Output Based Aid (GPOBA). It aims at providing safe, legal and quality power supply to people living in informal settlements at subsidised costs. The project will help the Company prevent commercial losses by reducing cases of electricity theft while providing convenient service to customers through prepaid metering solution.
d. ‘Boresha Umeme’ Network Upgrade Project
Kenya Power rolled out the Boresha Umeme program early 2014 with the aim of ensuring the network serving major customers as well as areas with repeated poor supply quality issues are given priority in a focused and thorough maintenance effort that pools resources to one locality. The project is currently ongoing and is targeting the low voltage network.
e. National Public Lighting Project
The Shs. 7.6 billion National Public Lighting Project was launched by the Government in January 2016. The project was initiated to provide adequate public lighting to industrial/residential areas, commercial centers, roads, railway and public transport facilities and also to create conducive environment for a 24 hour economy envisaged under the country’s development vision.
Customer Service
Kenya Power retails power to over 4.3 million customers (March 2016). In order to ensure reliability of supply to existing and new electricity customers, the company continuously upgrades the existing transmission and distribution network. Customer service division uses open telephone communication channels through a national Contact Center and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to interact with the customers.
Customer Growth Policy
The Company has developed a customer connection policy that facilitates efficient connection of customers to the grid at a reasonable cost. Kenya Power has an onerous target of connecting one million new customers to the grid annually for the next five years in line with its business growth strategy and to spur the country’s development.
Human Resources
In order to attain its Vision and Mission, Kenya Power employs highly skilled staff. Training programmes are carried out locally and internationally to expose them to best practice in customer service, and the latest technical standards and business trends.
Environmental and Social Policy
Kenya Power has a policy of integrating environmental and social considerations into its general business, which is conducted in compliance with Kenyan legislation and international law on environmental protection.
For more information, contact:
Corporate Communications Department
Tel. 3201622/39/47
E-mail communications@kenyapower.co.ke
Website: www.kplc.co.ke
Twitter: @KenyaPower
Customer Contact Centre
Telephone: 95551
Twitter: @KenyaPower_Care
Facebook: Kenya Power
