The Institute of Engineers of Kenya is calling on the government to establish an independent system operator (ISO) separate from the Kenya Power in a bid to ensure unbiased management of the national electricity grid.
IEK President Shammah Kiteme says the establishment of of the ISO as per the Energy Act 2019 will ensure fair access to the grid for all electricity generators and managing the dispatch of electricity in the country.
“It is our recommendation that this is implemented swiftly. Another important point is the need to enhance regulatory frameworks to ensure that the ISO operates independently from KPLC, promoting transparency in grid management and generator access,” said Kiteme.
According to the institute Kenya Power’s current role in transmission, distribution, control and monitoring of all grid activities including visibility of all generators connected to the grid and transmission lines both for Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) and Kenya Power through the national control system creates a potential conflict of interest
IEK says restructuring of Kenya Power to create ISO will open the electricity market and inject investments due to competition as the market becomes accessible.
“The requirement for an independent system operator aims to foster competition, enhance reliability, and promote fair access to the grid. An independent operator can ensure that dispatch decisions are made without bias towards KPLC’s interests as a distributor,” he added.
Through ISO, IEK also expects the country to address frequent power outages that have been occasioned by power dispatch challenges.
“Rather than establishing a new system from scratch, the government could consider restructuring KPLC’s existing control center to function independently. This would minimize redundancy, reduce costs, and leverage existing expertise and infrastructure. Alternatively, indicate if the existing control center would be retired,” stated Kiteme.
By Ronald Owili