Residents of Kisumu and Taita Taveta counties should prepare for scheduled power outages on Saturday as Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) conducts essential system maintenance.
In a public notice released on Friday evening, the utility company stated that the interruption will take place between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM to facilitate grid maintenance aimed at improving reliability and efficiency.
In Kisumu, the planned outage will impact Kemri and Otonglo areas, including Kemri, Karombo Village, Karombo Market, Otonglo Market, Otonglo Water Pump, and Korando B, along with surrounding customers. Kenya Power has assured that electricity will be restored by 4:00 PM in these locations.
For Taita Taveta, power will be cut off in Voi town, affecting the entire town, Kariakoo, Mwakingali, and Bondeni, along with adjacent areas. Service is expected to resume by 5:00 PM.
Kenya Power regularly conducts planned and unplanned power outages for various reasons, including network maintenance, upgrades, and emergency repairs. These scheduled maintenance works help enhance power distribution reliability and efficiency.
Additionally, infrastructure projects such as road construction may require power line adjustments, leading to temporary outages. While planned interruptions come with prior notice, unplanned outages can occur due to equipment failure, extreme weather conditions, vandalism, or interference from wildlife.
For instance, wild animals have been known to disrupt Kenya’s power supply in the past. In June 2016, a monkey climbed onto the roof of the Gitaru Power Station and accidentally fell onto a transformer. This action tripped the transformer, causing a nationwide blackout that led to the loss of more than 180 megawatts of power. The unusual incident highlighted the vulnerability of power infrastructure to external interferences.
While power interruptions can be inconvenient, they remain a crucial part of Kenya Power’s commitment to improving electricity supply and maintaining a stable grid. Customers in the affected areas are encouraged to make necessary arrangements in preparation for the scheduled outage.
