Kenya is taking steps to strengthen the infrastructure supporting its off-grid electrification initiative, as a new procurement tender initiates the subsequent phase of a World Bank-supported program that has already allocated billions of shillings for solar development in underprivileged counties.
• The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) is seeking bids for the supply of single-phase prepaid meters and miniature circuit breakers, with the contract being financed by the KSh 19.37 billion Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP).
• The tender, released under the guidelines of international competitive bidding, sets a deadline of 16 June and represents a change from project deployment to systems integration, guaranteeing that newly electrified areas are able to connect, bill, and manage their power usage.
• The procurement process occurs subsequent to a series of contracts that were executed earlier this year as part of KOSAP, which is collaboratively managed by the Ministry of Energy, Kenya Power, and the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC).
In February, the government supervised the granting of 20 contracts totaling around KSh 10 billion to private contractors for the construction of 113 solar-powered mini-grids and the setup of standalone systems throughout public facilities. The projects aim at 14 counties that are mostly beyond the reach of the national grid, including Turkana, Garissa, and Lamu, where sparse populations and challenging geographical conditions have made traditional grid expansion economically unviable for a long time.
These installations are meant to deliver electricity to hundreds of educational institutions, medical centers, and administrative buildings, in addition to facilitating wider community access through mini-grid networks.
The most recent tender introduces an important commercial component to the infrastructure, as prepaid meters (which are now standard in Kenya’s electricity market) enable utilities to enhance revenue collection efficiency while providing consumers with greater control over their usage. Circuit breakers play a vital role in ensuring network safety and managing load, especially in decentralized systems where it can be more challenging to regulate fluctuations.
KOSAP has additionally facilitated the distribution of over 170,000 independent solar home systems, benefiting nearly one million individuals, in conjunction with clean cooking programs and solar-powered water pumping initiatives. These endeavors are designed to bridge the access gap in areas where the national grid is still years from being available.
Kenya has experienced a significant increase in its electricity access rate, which has reached 75% over the last ten years. However, the challenge of connecting remote and low-income communities remains the most difficult aspect. Prolonged delays in Treasury reimbursements for grid expansion have resulted in Kenya Power holding approximately KSh 30 billion in receivables related to rural electrification. Additionally, some mini-grids are already suffering from inadequate maintenance funding and malfunctioning components. The tender establishes a financial limit for participation, mandating that bidders provide a minimum bid security of KSh 5.3 million (approximately $40,400) as a component of the submission process.