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A nationwide power outage on Thursday plunged major Kenyan cities including Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Murang'a into darkness.
The state-owned electricity provider Kenya Power has attributed the disruption to a malfunction within the power grid. This latest incident adds to a growing chorus of concern among Kenyans regarding the country's vulnerability to blackouts. In recent months, Kenya has endured several country-wide power outages. Most notably, a December 10th, 2023 blackout affected the entire nation, including the critical Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
"We regret any inconvenience caused and urge for patience from our customers as we work towards restoring normal power supply at the earliest opportunity. We will issue an update on the progress of the power restoration exercise within two hours." the notice read.
This event resulted in significant disruptions to air travel and even leadership changes within the aviation sector. However, the most severe blackout in Kenya's history occurred on August 25th, 2023. The cause of this prolonged disruption remains unclear, with Kenya Power having blamed a fault at a wind farm while the wind plant itself pointed towards issues with the national grid.
Kenya Power has also faced recent accusations of deliberately interrupting power supply, particularly during periods of heavy rain. The company has refuted these claims attributing weather-related outages to swaying trees and strong winds. According to their explanation, these elements can cause branches to touch or fall onto power lines, tripping circuit breakers and causing disruptions. Kenya Power maintains that they have implemented preventative measures to mitigate such occurrences.
To safeguard against power outages caused by falling branches, Kenya Power encourages residents to report any trees or branches in close proximity to power lines. Immediate action can be taken by dialing *977# or calling 97771. It's crucial to differentiate between unplanned outages which can occur during heavy rain and scheduled power cuts for essential system maintenance. For instance, residents of Githiga and Gathangari were notified in advance about a planned power outage scheduled for this past Monday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. This outage included customers in Muna, Karirana, Githembe Farm, Mutosi, Gitiha, Gatina, Gathiongoi ACK, Gataka, Mathanja, Gathangari Dispensary, Kiawaroga Muna, and the surrounding areas.