Kenya is fast-tracking the construction of its first electricity transmission lines under a public-private partnership to relieve the country’s overstretched power network.
Officials now aim for the $311 million (Sh40.4 billion) projects to start by August next year, months earlier than initially planned, to reduce recurring outages in parts of Western Kenya.
Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira urged Africa50, a development-focused investment platform of the African Development Bank, and India’s PowerGrid Corporation to accelerate final negotiations with lenders and contractors so construction can begin within eight months rather than the 12 months allowed in the agreement.
The PPP deal signed yesterday covers the building of the 400 kilovolts Lessos–Lossuk line and the 220 kilovolts Kisumu–Kibos–Kakamega–Musaga line, along with associated substations.
“The agreement says that works should start within 12 months but as a government we need to fast-track this to within eight months to move with speed and ease pressure on our current transmission lines,” Wachira said.
Kenya has experienced frequent power disruptions, particularly in the western counties, due to an ageing and overloaded transmission system. Voltage fluctuations and network congestion have been a recurring problem, often leaving residents and businesses without electricity during peak demand.
The new lines are expected to boost transmission capacity to Kisumu, Vihiga and Kakamega, addressing the instability that has contributed to frequent blackouts.
This marks the first time the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company is delivering transmission projects through a PPP, allowing Africa50 and PowerGrid to own, operate, and maintain the lines for 30 years while recouping their investment and servicing project loans.
The government sees the PPP model as a way to rapidly expand the network and improve reliability, while ensuring that funding, construction, and operation responsibilities are shared with experienced private partners.
