Kenya Power has initiated the tender process for the fourth phase of its Last Mile electricity connection project.
The estimated Sh26.8 billion phase aims to benefit 280,473 households in 32 counties.
The project involves installing 940 new transformers, optimizing existing transformers, and constructing power lines in the designated counties. Funding for the project will be provided by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union (EU), and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The Last Mile Connectivity Programme, a government flagship project launched in 2015, aims to provide affordable electricity access in rural and peri-urban areas and aligns with the country’s 2030 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 7.
Over one million Kenyan households have been connected to electricity through the first three phases of the program, supported by the government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank.
The program has significantly expanded the country’s electricity network, raising access to over 75% of the population from 29% in 2012, making Kenya one of the world’s leaders in electricity connection growth rate.
An AfDB evaluation report indicates an 83% increase in the use of electricity for lighting, a 45% rise in the likelihood of children studying at night, and a 17% increase in the use of electricity for agricultural activities such as irrigation.
The project has also positively impacted Kenya Power’s business performance, generating over Sh1.1 billion in sales over four years from 53.08GHrs of electricity sold to connected customers.
