Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has declared that it will conclude the oil supply project to Western Kenya in April 2016.

The project (Line6) which is worth Sh6 billion was awarded to China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau in November 2014. It involves a 10” pipeline from Sinendet in Nakuru County to Kisumu in Kenya.

The aim of this project is to add 360 thousand litres of oil per hour to the region who has been experiencing an increase in energy demands.

The new Line6 is to be added to the existing 6” Sinendet-Kisumu pipeline (Line3).The existing Line3 was built 25 years ago and it has been supplying 800 million litres every year.

According to KPC's acting Managing Director, Joe Sang (photo), an increase in oil supply to the region is to be beneficial to both the locals and the neighboring countries.

“It (new pipeline) is good news for our customers in Western Kenya, Uganda, Northern Tanzania and the Great Lakes Region. The days of long wait for the product (fuel) at the Kisumu deport and the road trips to Nakuru depot shall be history once the new Line6 becomes operational, because we will finally be able to meet the 2.3 billion litres per year demand”, Sang said.

The company, is however, hoping to increase its revenues and facilitate economic expansion in both the Lake Region and western Kenya with its increased capacity which will influence DRC, Burundi and Rwanda as well, Daily Nation reports.

Anita Fatunji