The national power provider, Kenya Power, is set to lose its monopoly in connecting and supplying electricity.
According to proposals from the Ministry of Energy, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec) will take over the role of distributing electricity to household consumers.
“Reconfigure KPLC and Rerec across consumer segments so that KPLC is positioned to serve large commercial and industrial consumers, while Rerec is positioned to serve the social mandate for household consumers,” a White Paper that has been published by Energy Principal Secretary Gordon Kihalangwa recommends.
Rerec is currently mandated with the implementation of rural electrification projects and spearhead uptake of green energy, except geothermal.
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“We’re seeking stakeholders’ view on this matter after which we will develop a work plan and timelines of implementation. It is work in progress,” said Dr. Kihalangwa.
The paper also recommends secondment of KPLC staff to Rerec to help with the transition and an audit of KPLC distribution assets to smoothen the changeover.
This will be the latest effort to end Kenya Power’s monopoly.
In 2020, Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Kengen) had announced plans to start selling power directly to consumers.
In a move that would have brought an end to Kenya Power’s monopoly, Kengen had said that it was awaiting the enforcement of the Energy Act to start the direct sale to consumers.
“The Energy Act 2019 has provision for us to sell power directly especially to large consumers. What is pending are the regulations of how that would be undertaken and how the infrastructure would be based. We are certain that when the regulations are ready, that possibility will be there,” KenGen had said.
KenGen would have needed a distribution licence and rely largely on the network built by the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) which it currently uses to evacuate power from its generating plants.
For starters this would not end Kenya power monopoly because REREC only connect and Kenya power meters the connection, secondly, already REREC operate mini and off grid in the country
Thirdly, kengen mandate it to generate electricity, it was initially a department at Kenya power,
Ketraco on the other hand, only manages transmission lines built after it’s establishment meaning most and all the old line fall under Kenya power