Paradox: Too much electricity

[RV Pundit]

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Maybe they should consider reducing the cost of electricity to spur the demand. A lot of people are afraid to turn on power because it damn expensive.

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Jubilee-goes-slow-on-poll-pledge-to-deliver-5-000MW/-/539546/3087020/-/iqd1d9z/-/index.html

[Georgesoros]

Just turning on the damn switchg costs 5000!!

[Kadudu]

Now we even have such crowds who are anti-development showing their true characters like they are under the spel of the LoP.

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000192587/investors-pull-out-of-sh15b-energy-project-over-disputes-with-locals

[Georgesoros]

Kenyans are fleeced from every angle. Energy cartels, corruption cartels, power cartels, etc. all this steal money from the regular guy. This also equates to less jobs for the jobless, more spending for business, etc. it's useless to power every home if the pple can't afford to use it

[gout]

prepaid meters were supposed to cut out the fixed charges but it has doubled since 2013 from Kshs. 120 to Kshs. 240 per month negating the hyped cost per unit

[Georgesoros]

Am telling ya. The poor always pay.
In Kenya its a cartel economy.

prepaid meters were supposed to cut out the fixed charges but it has doubled since 2013 from Kshs. 120 to Kshs. 240 per month negating the hyped cost per unit

[hk]

It seems like demand for power is increasing http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Rising-power-demand-denies-consumers-cheaper-electricity/-/539546/3091262/-/item/0/-/h7swg/-/index.html

[RV Pundit]

While looking for M7 news in Daily Monitor, just found out Uganda are set to bring in 600MW in 2018 in huge hyrdo project. This financed and constructed by Chinese. Turn-key.

[Kadudu]

M7 and family must have chopped big from this deal.

While looking for M7 news in Daily Monitor, just found out Uganda are set to bring in 600MW in 2018 in huge hyrdo project. This financed and constructed by Chinese. Turn-key.

[RV Pundit]

Yeah the Kindaruma dam will cost 1.4B USD.

M7 and family must have chopped big from this deal.

[Globalcitizen12]

Chicken and egg.. What comes first demand or supply? If you answer this question then there is no paradox but poor business decisions by kpl and other players. Africa should create demand by increasing industrial activities which will translate to lowering costs and increasing demand. Plus we need to produce energy at lowest cost possible so we need more coal plants and nuclear power plants . not diesel plants like the ones in thika

[RV Pundit]

Strangely ,KPLC are making less and less as they connect more and more. I think the problem is rural consumers...it not economical to connect to power grid...they all turn up the lights at same time for 2 hrs (7-9)pm and you therefore need diesel generators to stabilize power...

The solutions is for Gov to establish industrial parks...Naivasha and Dungu one in Mombasa...are step in the right direction.

Chicken and egg.. What comes first demand or supply? If you answer this question then there is no paradox but poor business decisions by kpl and other players. Africa should create demand by increasing industrial activities which will translate to lowering costs and increasing demand. Plus we need to produce energy at lowest cost possible so we need more coal plants and nuclear power plants . not diesel plants like the ones in thika

[Globalcitizen12]

Rural customers are useless. As matter of fact even in  nairobi 40% of homes use very little or no electricity

[RV Pundit]

Yes without some of subsidy..they are draining KPLC money.

Rural customers are useless. As matter of fact even in  nairobi 40% of homes use very little or no electricity

[Georgesoros]

Rural customers are useless. As matter of fact even in  nairobi 40% of homes use very little or no electricity

the damn thing is too expensive. You turn on the lights and boom 5000 bills. Turn on hot water boom 15,000. Who can afford that?

[Omollo]

Hi guys

This is interesting... too interesting for me to ignore.

I have completely switched to solar energy and it is doing well. I decided to buy a complete system from China. It came in a small container. I got over 6 KVA (KPL supplies 3.5 KVA to homes). It is steady and I can do anything with it.

I have KPL as well but I switch it on just so my inverter can rest or to recharge the batteries. I just installed electric cooking facilities to reduce the gas bill.

I was planning to buy shares in KPL until I read that their profits are down 16% and still falling.

The strides made in Solar Energy Technology have been ignored by KPL just like Telkom Kenya ignored the cellphone. Instead of advertising more diesel driven power plants they should be investing their blood money (squeezed from the poor) in to renewable energy and cut down on costs while expanding coverage.

I know of about 12 people who applied for connection over three years ago, paid the dues and were told to wait. The Monopoly simply lacks the capacity to absorb more clients or should I say victims who are lining up to be fleeced!

And... even after being connected, blackouts! I was in Kenya recently and by some misfortune witnessed two transformers burning. The customers are still in the dark from what I gather - three weeks after fact. A little rain in Nyanza and Western and you have a blackout lasting weeks. The emergency services are unable to respond to all the crises. That's because the corrupt in the company bought substandard equipment including transformers.

The day the monopoly ends is the day KPL will die.

[RV Pundit]

Hey Omollo, Glad to hear from you. I tried the solar thing but it didn't work for me. I think for you because you're not using 24-7 everyday; it may work.

As regard to KPLC, I think the last mile connectivity (WB funded) might be the solution where everyone within a transformer is connected using cheaper wires and post (at 15K)-- this may make those transformers in rural area economically.

That project should be underway or starting this April.

Hi guys

This is interesting... too interesting for me to ignore.

I have completely switched to solar energy and it is doing well. I decided to buy a complete system from China. It came in a small container. I got over 6 KVA (KPL supplies 3.5 KVA to homes). It is steady and I can do anything with it.

I have KPL as well but I switch it on just so my inverter can rest or to recharge the batteries. I just installed electric cooking facilities to reduce the gas bill.

I was planning to buy shares in KPL until I read that their profits are down 16% and still falling.

The strides made in Solar Energy Technology have been ignored by KPL just like Telkom Kenya ignored the cellphone. Instead of advertising more diesel driven power plants they should be investing their blood money (squeezed from the poor) in to renewable energy and cut down on costs while expanding coverage.

I know of about 12 people who applied for connection over three years ago, paid the dues and were told to wait. The Monopoly simply lacks the capacity to absorb more clients or should I say victims who are lining up to be fleeced!

And... even after being connected, blackouts! I was in Kenya recently and by some misfortune witnessed two transformers burning. The customers are still in the dark from what I gather - three weeks after fact. A little rain in Nyanza and Western and you have a blackout lasting weeks. The emergency services are unable to respond to all the crises. That's because the corrupt in the company bought substandard equipment including transformers.

The day the monopoly ends is the day KPL will die.