Kenya Power, the country’s sole electricity distributor, reported power outages across parts of the nation on Thursday. File picture: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
Nairobi – Kenya Power, the country’s sole electricity distributor, reported power outages across parts of the nation on Thursday.
The company did not explain what triggered the outages but said it was trying to “restore normalcy within the shortest time possible”.
It buys the bulk of its power from Kenya Electricity Generating Company.
The outages follow widespread blackouts this month in East Africa's economic powerhouse.
In January a high voltage transmission line connecting the capital broke causing a nationwide blackout.
Later that month, three senior managers Kenya Power were charged with sabotage and negligence.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Davis Chirchir, and Principal Secretary Dr Gordon Kihalangwa, visited Kenya Power offices at Stima Plaza.
During the visit, the secretary held a meeting with the management led by ag managing director Geoffrey Muli, and later addressed members of staff, the power utility posted on its official Facebook account.
The CS pledged to support Kenya Power’s efforts to provide quality, reliable, and affordable power to all Kenyans.
He further emphasized that dispatching power to customers at a competitive cost was an essential cog in attracting manufacturers so as to grow the economy and provide employment opportunities.
Recently Kenyan president William Ruto said that his country is home to the world’s largest wind farm and that the country’s electricity supply is already 92% renewable, with 74% of their overall energy use powered by clean energy.
“We have immense potential for renewable energy, and this abundance of wind and solar energy can power the development of Africa,” Ruto wrote in a Guardian opinion piece.
“Rather than trudging in the fossil fuel footsteps of those who went before, we can leapfrog this dirty energy and embrace the benefits of clean power.”
Reuters