Have you ever wondered how electricity reaches homes in rural areas?
How REREC’s rural electrification is reshaping everyday life in ways that go far beyond just lighting homes.@RERECMashinani#RenewableEnergy #RuralElectrification #RERECMashinani #umememashinani pic.twitter.com/6e6wiPZ3Pp
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Getting connected to power under the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) follows a step by step process that commences with a simple request from a community and ends with electrified homes that are powered in partnership with Kenya Power.
According to the Regional Manager South Nyanza REREC, Eng. Zack Magomere, communities seeking electricity connection are required to come together and write a formal letter to the REREC CEO through the regional office.
The request is then forwarded to the head office for consideration.
Once the letter is received at the head office, the project is assessed, designed and funding is allocated.
The project is funded by REREC in collaboration with other partners that include; National Treasury, National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) through their area Members of Parliament (MPs), County governments through their area Member of County Assembly (MCA)/Governor as well as community organisations and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
It is then referred to the regional office for implementation.
The regional office assigns the project to a contractor who is given seven days for material mobilisation before commencing the work which involves pole digging, erecting poles and stringing power lines.
An inspection is carried on the job by REREC in partnership with Kenya Power to ensure the infrastructure meets the required standards. Once certified, the line is commissioned.
Eng. Magomere noted that all the households covered under the project are then connected, with service cables installed to their homes.
REREC then submits a list of beneficiaries to Kenya Power, which installs meters officially connecting residents to electricity.
Since inception, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation has invested Ksh.150B in rural electrification boosting access from 4% in 2008 to over 75% today.
