Energy Petroleum and Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and other energy stakeholders drafted a proposal through which they plan to compel Kenya Power to pay customers for unplanned blackouts.
In the draft Electricity (Reliability and Quality of Supply and Quality of Service) Regulations, 2022, EPRA wants the utility firm to compensate customers for impromptu outages that cause property damage, business loss or even deaths.
As per the proposal, affected customers will receive their payments within three months after their claims are determined. The energy regulators will, however, consider cases filed within 30 days after the incident.
"A licensee shall be liable to pay appropriate compensation to a person if due to failure, poor quality or irregularity of electricity supply, the person incurs damage to his or her property, financial loss, loss of life due to negligence or avoidable default by the Licensee, provided that the breach is reported in writing within thirty (30) days of the breach," the draft proposal reads in part.
However, the amount payable to customers was not published in the draft regulations.
Kenya Power will be spared in cases where other interferences cause a power blackout such as outages caused by human accidents and natural causes.
According to EPRA, the new regulations intended to provide the performance standards for reliability and quality of supply of electrical energy. Procedures for monitoring reliability, supply quality, and service quality by the Authority will also be analysed.
"The draft regulations will provide for the circumstances under which a person will be disqualified from compensation due to failure and defects in electricity supply," EPRA's proposal read in part.
"It will also provide the procedure, timelines and documentation required for claiming for compensation by the affected person to the Licensee and the procedure for compensation," it adds.
Kenya Power has been carrying out reforms in different sectors of the firm to meet the demand of Kenyans.
President Uhuru Kenyatta implemented managerial changes at the firm and also initiated measures to lower the cost of acquiring electricity. Among these measures was a 30 per cent reduction in the cost of electricity.
It also involved getting rid of some officials who were impeding reforms in the energy sector.
