Kenya Power Launches Sixth Phase of Last Mile Connectivity Project with AfDB Support

Nairobi, The Gulf Observer: Kenya Power has officially commenced the sixth phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project (LMCP), a major initiative aimed at expanding electricity access across the country. The project is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and aims to connect 150,000 new customers to the national grid.

Kenya Power Managing Director and CEO, Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Siror, confirmed the development, highlighting that the new phase will extend electrification efforts across 45 counties, with the exception of Nairobi and Mombasa.

“The Government of Kenya has received financing from the African Development Bank toward the cost of the implementation of the sixth phase of the Last Mile Connectivity Project. The funding will go a long way to boost the ongoing national electrification efforts and accelerate the attainment of universal access to electricity by the year 2030,” said Eng. Siror.

This marks the third round of funding from the AfDB, which previously supported the first and third LMCP phases that connected a combined 536,077 customers.

Key Infrastructure Developments

The sixth phase will include significant upgrades and expansions to Kenya’s power infrastructure. These include:

• Construction and refurbishment of 13 substations, including:
  • Three new substations
  • Refurbishment and upgrade of three 33/11kV substations
  • Seven new switching stations
• Development of:
  • 211 kilometers of 33kV distribution lines
  • 14 kilometers of 11kV lines
  • 650 kilometers of additional 33kV lines
  • 6,798 kilometers of low voltage network

These enhancements aim to strengthen the country’s social infrastructure, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare, and water and sanitation.

Consultancy and Oversight

To ensure quality and compliance, Kenya Power has already invited bids for consultancy services to oversee technical designs and conduct environmental and social performance audits prior to the commencement of physical works.

Since the inception of the LMCP, 746,867 customers have been connected to the grid, marking it as one of the largest and most impactful rural electrification initiatives in the region.

The project has drawn support not only from AfDB but also from various other international and domestic partners including the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), French Development Agency (AFD), European Union (EU), and European Investment Bank (EIB).

With this sixth phase, Kenya Power and its partners reaffirm their commitment to achieving universal electricity access by 2030, in line with the country’s development goals.