The Kenya Power Company is in the eye of a storm over shortage of electricity meters in the country with local manufacturers accusing the utility firm of causing the artificial shortage.
The development comes after four local manufacturers said they can meet the demand of the meters in the country.
However, Kenya Power has avoided signing contracts with them to supply the meters to meet the growing demand.
The four firms are Smart Meters Technology Limited, Shenzhen Star Instrument Company Ltd, Magnate Ventures Ltd, and Inhemeter Africa Company Limited.
The revelations emerged during an inquiry into concerns raised by Kenyans over lack of electricity meters by the Senate Energy committee.
Kenya Power has been battling a severe shortage of meters, which has frustrated those seeking new meters and replacements for faulty or stolen ones.
This has seen more than 236,900 Kenya Power customers waiting for connection to the grid over the shortage.
The company has been battling local suppliers in court who have protested at the tough terms the State-owned utility firm introduced in its latest bid to procure meters worth Sh2 billion.
Smart Ventures Limited Chief Executive Officer Mr Stanley Kinyanjui told the committee chaired by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga that despite his company having the capacity to produce 4,000 smart meters per day, the last time they supplied to Kenya Power was in 2021.
He said that his company, which is locally owned, is ready to ensure a constant supply of the meters given a chance and that they only require from the state agency that their products will be bought and that way there will be no shortfall in the country.
Mr Kinyanjui argued that he spent Sh350 million to set up the electricity meter manufacturing plant based in an industrial area in Nairobi.
“We call on the government to support local companies which have the capacity to make enough smart electricity metres for use in the country. That is why we are asking the Senate Energy Committee to engage with KPLC to come up with a contractual framework,” said Mr Kinyanjui.
The four local manufacturers had decried stringent tendering requirements put forth by Kenya Power where a successful bidder is required to have a minimum of 15 years of technical specifications experience in the manufacture of energy meters.
However, Kenya Power argued that the stringent requirements were aimed at ensuring that the company procures meters of high quality.
The committee now wants Kenya Power to come up with a long-term contractual framework with electricity meters producers to guarantee them business for their products with the country currently having a shortage of 450,000 meters.
Senator Wamatinga said the move will give the companies an assurance of their products being acquired since some of them have been idle for the last two years.
“We are asking Kenya Power to come up with a clear contractual agreement with electricity meter producers in the country so that the producers can be assured of business for their products since the state agency is their only customer,” said Mr Wamatinga.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said Kenya Power should give local companies like Smart Ventures Limited a priority in the manufacture of smart meters.
“We have visited Smart Ventures Limited and we have been taken through the processes of making them unlike other foreign companies which appear only to be warehouses for imported products from their home country,” said Mr Sifuna.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said Kenyans have been complaining over the lack of electricity meters yet there are companies capable of addressing the shortfall if they are given the necessary support.
He said KPLC should consider giving certified companies at least a three years contract to guarantee their business.
“KPLC should urgently come up with measures to ensure that we do not have a deficit of smart electricity metres in the country,” said Mr Khalwale.
