PostKetraco Switches On New 132kV Line for Mt Kenya Residents

Ketraco Switches On New 132kV Line for Mt Kenya Residents Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has energised the 86.4-kilometre 132kV Nanyuki-Rumuruti transmission line, boosting electricity supply in Laikipia and the wider Mount Kenya region. The line was switched on at 4:04pm on Friday, 2 October, with both 132kV and 33kV voltage levels confirmed stable. It addresses a long-standing problem in Rumuruti, which previously relied on a long 33kV distribution line from Lanet. The new connection shortens the power route to Rumuruti by about 50 per cent, reducing technical losses and improving reliability for households, farmers and businesses. The project includes 86.4 kilometres of overhead lines and 16.8 kilometres of underground cables, the latter introduced after security concerns around Laikipia Airbase. Construction began in 2023 at a cost of about KSh 2.5 billion and was completed in July. It was funded by the Kenyan government, the African Development Bank and India’s Exim Bank. Ketraco Managing Director Tom Imbo said the improved supply should give small and medium enterprises, industries and investors greater confidence to invest in the region.