The project will be implemented in partnership with US-based Kaddas Enterprises, and involves retrofitting wildlife-friendly covers on sections of power lines identified as electrocution hotspots.
It was kicked off at Soysambu Conservancy, approximately 130 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, where electrocution of birds of prey has been frequently reported.
The conservancy is a critical habitat for raptors such as the Augur Buzzard and Martial Eagle, species that use power lines and poles for perching and hunting.
Eng. Henry Pwani, Head of Research at IESR, said the initiative aims to strike a balance between energy infrastructure and wildlife conservation.
“Wildlife is part of our national heritage which heavily drives our tourism sector. Equally, Kenya Power’s role in energy distribution is a key component of our country’s economic growth. Our aspiration is to ensure peaceful co-existence between nature and the energy infrastructure,” Pwani said.
According to Kenya Power, electrocution of animals and human activities account for approximately 50 per cent of power outages, with 30 per cent attributable to wildlife contact with power lines.
The five-year partnership is expected to substantially reduce both wildlife electrocution and related power supply interruptions.
“By safeguarding wildlife, we are also improving power supply reliability to give a better experience for our customers. This is a win-win situation for the environment and our business,” Pwani added.
The Lanet-Naivasha Interconnector, which traverses Soysambu Conservancy, has faced power supply interruptions linked to electrocution of birds and animals such as giraffes. Lessons from the project along this line will inform its rollout across other hotspot areas.
“This line serves a big part of Nakuru County and by undertaking this project here, we are looking forward to picking lessons that will be helpful as the project is rolled out to other hotspot areas across the country,” said Wesley Kerich, Kenya Power’s County Business Manager for Nakuru.
Beyond retrofitting covers, the partnership includes a training component targeting Kenya Power’s technical staff to create awareness and develop champions to spearhead the wildlife protection agenda in designing energy infrastructure.
