Nairobi — Kenya Power targets increasing its users of electric cooking to over 500,000 from 90,000 currently in three years.

This was disclosed by the company's managing director (MD) and CEO, Joseph Siror, at the launch of the Global eCooking Coalition (GeCCo) during Africa Climate Week in Nairobi, which ended on Wednesday.

"Electricity has traditionally been viewed as the expensive cooking alternative by many Kenyans," Siror said.

"Middle-class households often own task-specific electric cooking appliances such as kettles or microwaves but rely on liquefied petroleum gas for the bulk of their cooking," the MD added.

"However, this is no longer the case as recent studies have shown. There is, therefore, an enormous untapped potential for e-cooking in the country."

Recent data indicate that only one percent of electricity customers use the service to cook, with the majority of Kenyans primarily relying on wood fuel and gas.

GeCCo is an initiative aimed at accelerating the transition from traditional cooking methods to e-cooking, both domestically and commercially.

The coalition consists of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and Energizing Development (EnDev), among others.

"Kenya Power will work with partners to drive the uptake of e-cooking across the country," Siror said.

"The utility has partnered with several other organisations including the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS), the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), and the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK) to champion e-cooking in Makueni, Kitui, Nakuru, Kakamega, and Kisumu counties."

Through its Pika na Power public awareness campaign, Kenya Power aims to raise awareness of e-cooking for increased uptake by its customers.

The company has set up demonstration centres in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Mombasa to advance the e-cooking agenda nationally.