Nairobi — Kenya Power is looking to diversify its income by venturing into the distribution of the internet through smart poles.

The utility company today rolled out a pilot project that involved the installation of special utility poles (smart poles) with the capability of delivering high-speed internet services.

It will be banking on the new venture to increase earnings as demand for broadband services increases across the country.

The firm's managing director (MD), Joseph Siror, said there is a need to ensure power production is efficient and environmentally friendly.

"The Smart Poles will provide an alternative way to deploy the last mile data networks using wireless technologies, thus providing a solution to telecom service providers to improve data coverage and capacity, as well as address the challenge of signal dropouts," said Siror.

An initial pilot in Nairobi will see the rollout of smart poles across the country to ensure the entire nation is connected to the internet.

The move comes amid increased demand for the internet, which has put pressure on telecommunications service providers to expand last-mile data networks.

Kenya Power added that it will leverage innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure the installation of a smart grid as it looks to expand its service offering.

The company has partnered with the Ministry of ICT to offer valuable lessons to its staff even as it sets sights on the smart poles.