Three counties set to experience planned power blackouts
Three counties will experience power outages today, Monday, December 18 2023, the Kenya Power Company has announced.
In a statement issued on the night of Sunday, December 17, 2023, the power utility said the blackout will be as a result of network maintenance.
“Good evening. The areas listed below will be affected by planned power interruptions tomorrow (18 December 2023). The interruption is part of network maintenance,” the statement read in full.
Kisii County topped the list and the specific areas that will be affected include; Mwembe, Gekomu, Otamba, Gesure, Kiamabundu, Nyansancha and adjoining customers.
Homabay District will also be affected by the power cuts. Specific areas affected include; Adiedo, Oriang, Kamolo, Adhonge, Wipap, Dago, Wimagak, Mango, Obilo, Wikondiek, Omboga, Nyawino, Rambware, Raongo and adjoining customers.
Parts of Kiambu County will also be affected by the blackout. The specific areas mentioned by Kenya Power Company include; Mungetho, Gachororo Juja, Kuraiha, Bravers, Kiaora, Mtaro, Kariki, Nchengo Coffee Farm, Azania Farm, Kijito Estate, Bob Harris, Kirai, Mashure and Karakuta.
Other areas are; Mutuma Estate, Allan Dashi, Gachibi, Diana Farm, Eagands, Makwa, Oriti, Kihenia, Mangu, Mary Hill Girls, St Francis Girls, Karibaribi, Gatukuyu, Igegania and adjoining customers.
This comes at a time when the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has announced a number of measures aimed at curbing the frequent power outages in the country.
Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir said the normal transmission of power was caused by the high demand for electricity which caused the western supply line to trip.
“The intervention that we are going to sit down with the engineers to give you some straight answers as we look you in the eye is load shedding, instead of overloading a line and causing the whole country to trip, we are going to remove some feeders and therefore reduce the demand for electricity that flows through a line,” he said.
CS Chirchir attributed this to a lack of investment in generation and transmission, which is the root of the challenge.
“We will do it in a very structured way, we will communicate through you (the media) and through our leadership to be able to understand which region we will be working in. We will be very limited. It will be a very limited rationing of power, where power is limited. It will only happen during peak hours,” the CS said.
The CS revealed that he was also a victim of the blackout on his way into the country when the power went off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as he was being processed, so he took his time before leaving the airport.