Energy CS Wandayi’s nightmare lingers as Kenya suffers another major blackout

Several parts of the country were on Friday morning hit by a major power blackout, a day after Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi instructed the Kenya Power Board to provide a detailed report on the technical, operational, and human resource aspects of its system in response to ongoing outages.

According to Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), the outage has affected the entire country except the North Rift and Western regions.

The utility has not, however, stated the cause of the blackout.

This comes barely a week after the country experienced another nationwide blackout on August 31, 2024.

Interestingly, last week's power outage did not affect the same areas as today's.

"We have lost power supply to various parts of the country except the North Rift region and sections of the Western region," the company said.

"We regret any inconvenience caused and urge for patience from our customers as we work towards restoring normalcy at the earliest opportunity. We will issue an update on the progress of the power restoration exercise as soon as possible," it added.

Kenya Power, on Thursday, pledged to keep the public informed on efforts to restore electricity across the country.

This was after the directive from Energy CS Wandayi, who also instructed the Kenya Power Board to initiate reforms aimed at reducing energy costs.

Outgoing Energy CS Davis Chirchir, officially hands over to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in August 2024. (Photo: X/KPLC)

“While I noted and commended the board, management, and staff for the good work done so far, I directed the board to embark on an urgent institutional reform path and report back to the ministry,” Wandayi said.

The CS emphasised the importance of a report detailing the capacity of the National Control Centre, power infrastructure setup, system protection, and the mix of power generation sources to better manage disturbances and prevent future blackouts.

In addition, Wandayi directed the company to implement a strategy to reduce both technical and commercial energy losses.

The goal is to bring down the current loss rate of 24 per cent to the allowable level of 19.5 per cent within three years, which he said would significantly lower electricity costs.

The former minority leader at the National Assembly, who was a vocal critic of Kenya Power before joining the government, also warned Kenyans with illegal power connections to stop the practice, urging them to be “patriotic.”

Wandayi made these remarks during his first visit to Kenya Power’s key facilities, including the National Control Centre in Nairobi.

“The implementation matrix must cover key projects and interventions that will have a significant impact on reducing energy costs for end users in the short and medium term. This will be handled by Kenya Power and its partner agencies,” he explained.

“It must include project challenges, resource needs, timelines for completion, accountability, and expected outcomes,” Wandayi added.

The Cabinet Secretary also called for a review of the company’s human resource strategy to ensure the workforce is well-equipped to meet the needs of the public. He further advised the utility to explore collaborative processes to tackle illegal power connections and enhance public safety.

These reforms, Wandayi added, are crucial for improving operational efficiency and financial stability, which would eventually guide Kenya Power back to sustainable profitability.