Cheap electricity connection soon to be reality

[RV Pundit]

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http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Kenya-Power-deal-paves-the-way-for-Sh15-000-connections/-/539546/2990542/-/irkkqmz/-/index.html

[RV Pundit]

https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/economy/Kenya-Power-cuts-firms--weekend-tariffs-by-half/3946234-4243674-k6xs5dz/index.html

[hk]

We need to crank up consumption not just connections though cheaper elec at night and weekends will help especially manufacturers.

https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21732540-power-and-people-more-africans-have-electricity-they-are-using-less-it

[RV Pundit]

I think the problem is 1) our power is damn expensive - we have some world most expensive power for countries with low income 2) enviroment - we mostly live in tropics without need of heating or ACs 3) we don't have huge minning and manufacturing that really consume power.

The issue non 1) price - calls for policy experimentation - like we are doing with off-peak power - of course the IPPS agreement that gurantee power producers certain prices make it impossible to do this in any big scale. If we reduce prices - and people start cooking githeri with electricity instead of firewoood that will step in the right direction - right now it doesn't make sense.

The issue no 2) - is good - nobody should care if we use 1000 or 10,000mw - we just need sufficient power - so gov should continue with supply side of issues - universal electricity coverage - street lights - lighting all roads - we don't need to have ACs running for the sake of it. Obviously once we move and tame 2/3 of the country that is inhospitable without electricity - talking of isiolos, turkanas,lamus, malindis - we may find more use for power in households beyond watching TV and lighting bulbs.

The issue no 3 will take time - and this policy of allowing manufacturers cheap power - is a step in the right direction - once we have huge steel making, cement making, minning and such industries - like in south africa - we can easily consume more power.

[gout]

The cost of electricity is pushing manufacturers to adopt solar - not sure how this will work into the long term plans on power supply demand issues. One is telling me there is still no clear way how this night tariff will be working but it will be heaven sent for guys like him who operate 24 hours.

In the village I saw a guy who has moved his welding business to the village from Githurai and says he is doing well. There is also now a village resident electricians on dial for changing bulbs , sockets and connecting the TVs.

Also, all the new houses in the village now have the wiring consideration - show electricity connection is no longer a far fetched dream like the days houses would have the meter box and people would what that would be for.

I am sure once ukora get's in the villages, people will cooking Githeri with the electricity unless Kenya Power adopts serious monitoring mechanisms.

[Georgesoros]

Cheap Connections are great, but nobody has figured out why a Kilowatt is so damn expensive and ways to lower it.

[vooke]

Cheap Connections are great, but nobody has figured out why a Kilowatt is so damn expensive and ways to lower it.

Actually that is a more urgent priority than rolling out connections.

We keep on hearing of more and more power added to the grid but price is always damn high