The Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited was incorporated in 1922 as the East African Power and Lighting Company Limited to serve Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Its name changed to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited in 1983. Kenya Power is partly owned by the Government of Kenya with 50.1 percent shareholding, and private investors with a 49.9 percent shareholding. Prior to a major power sector restructuring exercise in 1997, Kenya Power also managed all generating stations on behalf of the government. Currently, the Company only manages some diesel and hybrid power generating stations which are owned by the government, and which are not connected to the national grid. Kenya Power is the national system operator (dispatcher of electricity).

Kenya Power retails power to over 4.3 million customers (March 2016). In order to ensure reliability of supply to existing and new electricity customers, the company continuously upgrades the existing transmission and distribution network. Customer service division uses open telephone communication channels through a national Contact Center and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to interact with the customers.

The Company has developed a customer connection policy that facilitates efficient connection of customers to the grid at a reasonable cost. Kenya Power has an onerous target of connecting one million new customers to the grid annually for the next five years in line with its business growth strategy and to spur the country’s development.