Kenya Power has announced a substantial investment of up to Ksh 258 million over the next three years to bolster the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
This investment encompasses the establishment of charging stations at strategic locations nationwide, as well as the procurement of electric vehicles and motorbikes to enhance company operations.
In line with this initiative, the company has inaugurated an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Stima Plaza, representing a Ksh 6.5 million investment.
Equipped with two chargers – a 50 kW DC charger facilitating one-hour charging and a 22 kW AC charger allowing two-hour charging – this station marks Kenya Power’s second EV charging facility, following a similar installation at the Ruaraka Depot, which serves as the company’s transport hub.
Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Siror, Managing Director & CEO of Kenya Power, expressed enthusiasm about spearheading discussions on E-mobility, emphasizing the pivotal role of electricity in shaping the future of transportation. Additionally, he highlighted the company’s intention to leverage EV charging stations for data collection, informing future support for the burgeoning E-mobility sector.
In addition to the Stima Plaza station, Kenya Power plans to deploy nine more charging stations by July 2024 at various company offices across the nation, including Donholm, Nakuru, Mombasa, Mtito Andei, Kisumu, Eldoret, Roysambu, Electricity House Nairobi, and Ragati.
Dr Siror revealed that the company has allocated an annual budget of Ksh 20 million for establishing EV charging stations at all its offices, with plans to add ten more facilities annually in 2025 and 2026.
Furthermore, Kenya Power has introduced two electric heavy-duty vehicles for routine operations, purchased at a cost of Ksh 18 million.
Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its EV fleet by procuring nine additional electric vehicles (comprising both heavy and light-duty models) and 25 electric motorcycles by December 2024.
Reflecting on past initiatives, Kenya Power conducted a successful pilot of 13 electric motorcycles in collaboration with UNEP in 2021, gaining valuable insights into E-mobility.
Before this, the company experimented with electric-powered forklifts and pallet stackers at its warehouses between 2016 and 2018.
In alignment with regulatory efforts, Kenya Power is implementing an E-mobility tariff endorsed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, further incentivizing the adoption of electric vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles.
To accelerate the uptake of E-mobility, Kenya Power has been at the forefront of organizing the annual E-mobility Conference, facilitating dialogue among industry stakeholders to devise frameworks for sectoral growth.
Through these concerted efforts, Kenya Power aims to play a pivotal role in advancing sustainable transportation solutions across the nation.
