Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter. [Photo/businessdaily.co.ke]
Data from the Kenya Power and Lighting Company has shown that Nairobi consumes half of all the power supplied by Kenya Power and Lighting Company in Kenya.
A report by the company says the city consumed 50.2 percent of the total power.
The other 46 devolved units jointly consumed 49.8 percent of the total power supplied, an indication that even though the devolved units are growing, it is at slower pace over the past 4 years.
In a statement, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said the government was increasing its machinery to supply enough power to the counties but they have been held back by the limited demand from the devolved units.
“When devolution set in, we expected many things to happen, including creation of new industries, we expected that institutions would consume an upward of 5,000 Mega Watts,” Keter said as quoted by the Business Daily.
“We were prepared to give them power but we were slowed down by lack of demand,” the Cabinet Secretary further said.
In the report, Nairobi’s large power consumption is attributed to industries and offices and wealthy homes as well as an increase in the number of household appliances such as television sets and refrigerators, an indication of improved standards of living in the city.