Nairobi — By replacing 1.1 million standard bulbs with energy saving types, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company had saved the economy 58 megawatts.

By Tuesday, 1,121,000 bulbs had been installed leaving a balance of 129,000 bulbs to be fitted in the next few days, according to the electricity distributor.

This is a government project in which energy saving bulbs are distributed at no cost to power consumers.

They are exchanged for inefficient ordinary ones.

The door-to-door project targets customers in the middle to lower class settlements; those consuming up to 200 KWh a month.

Power demand

An official involved with the project who did not want to be named because she is not authorised to speak to the media, said the KPLC had recovered bulbs with a total power consumption of 70 megawatts, and replaced them with those consuming 12 megawatts.

"This means that the exercise has delivered a saving of 58 megawatts not only in terms of energy but in power demand," the official told the Nation.

Going by the figures, the project will not only cut electricity consumer costs, but also ease pressure on the country power generation.

Saving 58 megawatts is a huge feat given that Sondu Miriu hydropower generates 60 megawatts.

Carry on

The official said the KPLC would continue educating its customers even after the distribution of the energy-saving bulbs on the need to save power.

"We will carry on with educating our customers on the benefits of energy efficiency, not just for lighting, but on all the other areas where they can save energy."

The KPLC official said manufacture and importation of the incandescent (normal) bulbs might be banned in the next few years as has happened in other countries.

The cost of energy-saving bulbs was likely to be reduced, she said.

On Tuesday, energy-saving bulbs manufacturer Seefar International said that government had sent the right signals that had made more Kenyans embrace energy-saving bulbs.