Under the national power connectivity project, the Kenya government is working towards universal access to electricity by 2020 by expanding and improving Kenya’s electric transmission system.
This project is being financed by the World Bank, Africa Development Bank and the government of Kenya. It has also brought on board different stakeholders.
Currently, Kenya Power’s customer base has grown to 6.5Million as at the end of December 2017 compared to 5.5Million in 2016. Further, the number of distribution lines added to the grid by December 2017 was 3,408 kilometers. As one of the country’s leading Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) electrical and instrumentation companies, Burhani Engineering steps in as one of the 12 experienced power line contractors who will facilitate extension of low voltage networks to existing transformers with an additional installation of 1,000 transformers across the country.
The second phase entails the supply of distribution materials to reach 300,000 new connections, construction of low voltage distribution lines, supervision, management and capacity building activities in the targeted areas.
Our scope of work will cover pole positioning, erection, stringing of conductors and termination of meters to households in rural areas hence the term ‘last mile’. In definition, this is a phrase used in the telecommunications and technology industries to describe the technologies and processes used to connect the end customer to a specified network.
As part of our strategies to provide clients with end to end value solutions, we have integrated four divisions of innogrative solutions. Electrical, instrumentation, civil and mechanical. Taking off under our electrical flagship, Burhani will be spearheading specialized connection services for design, supply and installation of low voltage lines for the allocated portion of LOT 13.
A hub of activities, the project headquarters located in Machakos County is gearing towards getting households connected to the grid.
In conjunction with Kenya Power, 12,280 customers in Machakos, Kitui and Kajiado are targeted to benefit directly from the 1,538.4km of low voltage lines in both concrete and wooden poles.https://www.youtube.com/embed/VT8IhUjX-vo?feature=oembed
Intended to complete the project in 18 months, a competent core team of project and construction managers, electrical design engineers, electrical construction engineers and a safety, health and environment officer have been tasked with day to day supervision of design and construction works at county levels.
Once mobilization of major materials especially poles and line hardware fittings have been secured, the construction stage will be set in motion starting with pegging. The intensive process will follow strict guidelines and undergo scrutiny to the last process of metering which will be carried out at the customer premises. After a thorough line inspection, the lines shall be energized at the appropriate distribution voltage.
Not short of major challenges, Burhani Engineers has put in place mitigating measures to combat foreseeable shortcomings. One of those is the presence of sulfate and chloride in lots located near salty water masses which have been identified as a source of corrosion likely to affect ordinary cement used in manufacturing concrete poles. Offering end-to-end solutions, we are constantly innograting, an integral part of our business.
Thus, affected areas for example, will make use of application of bitumen coating, penetrone compound, a waterproofing concrete surround on the pole up to 1.8m or 2.2m or through the placement of an enclosure on the lower portion of the pole containing a high-density non-biodegradable polythene paper jacket.
A recent report by Kenya Power revealed that there has been a 46 percent rise in new customers in the last few years. The joint effort that has been well received by locals is expected to raise the living standards and support economic growth.
Ever responding to the changes, one of our core corporate values is to Discover New. And through this milestone, Burhani leads the way in Kenya’s electrification.