by David Musyoka

NAIROBI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) said Thursday that the improved petroleum pipeline designed to improve supply of fuel to the hinterlands and regional export destinations is scheduled for completion by end of April.

KPC's Managing Director Joe Sang said the contractor, Zakhem International, had begun installation of the eight mainline pumps that have arrived in the country, adding that the line's four stations would have two mainline pumps each.

"The new line once completed will adequately serve the country's demand which is projected to be 6.8 billion litres in 2020," said Sang in a statement. He said the project will be ready for commissioning by June.

Sang said the new line would enhance KPC's pipeline devolution plan into the counties by increasing product availability in Nairobi that will feed into spur lines into Western Kenya, Central Kenya, Rift Valley and South Nyanza regions.

The new pipeline will also improve the reliability of fuel supply to the export market of Uganda, Rwanda and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

With a flow rate of 1 million liters per hour, the line will remove an average of about 700 trucks from the road daily at maximum utilization.

"This will enhance safety because pipeline transportation of fuel is the safest and most cost effective way of transporting petroleum products the world over. There will therefore be no tanker accidents, fuel fires, siphoning on our roads hence saving lives and conserving our environment," said Sang.

KPC is replacing the existing Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline that has been in operation for 38 years.

A Vision 2030 flagship project, the construction of the 450-km pipeline will ensure sustained, reliable and efficient transportation of petroleum products in the region and meet demand in the next 30 years.

The pipeline will have an installed flow rate of 1 million liters per hour in phase one.