President William Ruto announced on Friday, November 11 that Kenya Power (KPLC) would no longer charge new customers Ksh70,000 for connecting electricity.
The president has assured the public that there will be no cost to hook up new customers to the power grid.
During his speech to the Kenyan Association of Pension Trustees and Administrators, Ruto said that the fee was unnecessary.
“Previously, a transformer that ought to serve 30 people was only serving 15 people. Then why not connect everyone for free — in any case the transformer is not being used optimally,” Ruto wondered.
He reassured the public that measures were being taken by his government to lower energy costs.
Additionally, Ruto disclosed that they were working on a plan to provide value-added electricity.
The president’s plan for his digital super highway includes launching a rural electrification program that integrates high-speed Internet access.
In order to capitalize on the growing demand for mobile data in Kenya, Kenya Power announced in December 2021 that it would begin connecting rural homes to high-speed Internet.
In order to bring internet to customers, KPLC will install fiber-optic cables alongside its transmission lines.
“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, ISPs that rely on Kenya Power’s network to provide Internet access were unnerved by the company’s plan.
The business community has speculated that KPLC will have a significant head start in connecting rural homes to the Internet by utilizing its extensive electricity transmission network fused with fiber connections.
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