State-owned power utility Kenya Power is testing a new platform that will allow customers to share pre-paid electricity tokens.
Similar to data-sharing plans, it would enable Kenya Power customers to share tokens with friends and family. It also offers a potential solution to the dilemma customers face when moving houses and being unable to use the tokens purchased at their previous location.
The platform is being developed by Numeral IoT, a Nairobi-based tech development firm. Once ready, Kenya Power plans to pilot the service.
“We (Kenya Power) visited the factory and yes it is a practical solution. He (developer) is doing the modelling and is still at the innovation stage. Once he is done then we will pilot it,” Acting Kenya Power MD Geoffrey Muli told Business Daily.
Muli spoke at the Kenya Power Innovation Expo which brings together the power company, manufacturers and technology firms among others to explore various solutions to drive innovation in the sector forward.
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Numeral IoT founder Morris Mbetsa talked up the benefits that a token-sharing platform would offer power consumers.
“If we can share data, then why not tokens? This application will enable you to share with someone who doesn’t have. Also, let us say you have 100 tokens in your meter and you are shifting houses, then you go with your tokens,” he stated.
Earlier at the expo, Kenya Power had also offered an update on its plan to offer fixed internet for homes and businesses. At the moment, Kenya Power leverages its extensive transmission infrastructure to lease fibre optic cables to Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The elevation to offer lit fibre would put KPLC in competition with ISPs including Safaricom and Wananchi Telecom (Zuku). KPLC has been piloting the service with a number of businesses and plans to roll out the full service by June 2023.
“Our plan is to launch our Lit Fibre business in the course of this financial year,” Muli disclosed.
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