Kenya's electricity distributor Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) plans to lease its fibre optic cables to add $5.9 million to its earnings.

According to reports, the company intends to lease its internet infrastructure this financial year ending June 2014 in a bid to increase its revenues, which have been weighed down by the increasing costs of materials, transport and labour.

The company's 1,800 km-fibre network has 48 strands and Kenya Power plans to offer 36 of these for leasing.

For the year ended June, KPLC generated $11.8 million from its leased cables to leading mobile network provider Safaricom, Kenya Data Network, Jamii Telecoms and Wananchi Group.

Chief manager for information technology and telecommunications Samuel Ndirangu said KPLC has finalised talks with mobile network provider Airtel and the Kenya Electricity Generating Company.

“Unlike other firms, we already have an established network across the country and we only have to lay the fibre along our live power lines,” Ndirangu said.

He added, “This minimises chances of vandalism as well.”