Many Kenyans often experience power outages due to various factors, among them the failure of transformers.
Kenya Power, which trades on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) under the ticker KPLC, on Thursday sought to explain why many Kenyans have been forced to spend hours in the dark due to transformer failures.
The company attributed transformer failures to overload caused by unauthorised connections that result in transformer overloads. The result is power blackouts.
"When communities tap into the power grid unlawfully or plug in too many high-power appliances, it pushes the transformer beyond its designed capacity. These makeshift setups not only create dangerous voltage imbalances but also force the equipment to work overtime — often leading to overheating and, ultimately, failure,'' KPLC explained.
Members of the public who vandalise the transformer have also been blamed for the challenges, with the utility provider detailing that the units contain specialised cooling oil and valuable copper windings, both of which are attractive to culprits.
When the oil is drained or copper components are looted, the transformer loses its ability to cool effectively, thereby resulting in outages.
''If power is restored without these critical elements in place, the transformer can overheat and burn out within hours, leading to costly repairs and longer outages,'' read part of the statement by the power provider.
Changes in weather patterns and climate have also been blamed on failures with lightning strikes, falling trees, floods, and extreme heat being a deterrent to the normal functioning of the transformers.
These events can knock out transformers instantly or weaken them over time, making them more prone to failure.
Manufacturing defects are also part of the reasons outages are experienced, especially when transformers with design flaws or substandard materials are used.
These hidden weaknesses often go unnoticed until the unit is placed under heavy load, typically during periods of high demand, according to Kenya Power.
Kenya has in the past tried reaching out to international lenders and other financiers to strike deals on how to help address the country's aging infrastructure, which, according to the utility provider, has also caused blackouts in the past.
''Ageing infrastructure is a silent threat in many communities. Over time, insulation degrades, metal components weaken, and internal systems become increasingly fragile. Even routine electrical loads can trigger a failure in an older unit,'' it explained.
''Simply put, an aging transformer is an imminent threat — and when it goes, the resulting outage can be prolonged and costly.''
