Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has provided further insight into the causes behind the series of power blackouts that plagued Kenya in 2023, dispelling notions of insufficient system demand.
Chirchir's revelation comes amidst growing concerns over the frequency and severity of power disruptions experienced across the country.
According to Chirchir, the blackouts experienced in August, and November 2023 were not due to a lack of power supply.
He stated that there was an ample supply of power on the grid during those periods, contradicting previous assumptions about the root cause of the outages.
The blackout in December marked the third instance in three months, with some regions reporting a delayed power restoration of up to two hours.
However, the most severe outage occurred on August 25, lasting nearly 24 hours and marking the longest disruption in Kenya's history.
Chirchir addressed queries from Senators regarding the disruptions, providing detailed information on the events leading up to the blackouts.
He explained that the outage on August 25 was associated with a failure in the dynamic reactive power compensation system at a wind power project.
According to Chirchir, analysis revealed that the compensation unit responded to a voltage dip, leading to a cascade effect that caused the system to shut down.
On November 11, 2023, another partial blackout occurred due to a trip on a transformer and transmission line, further straining the grid.
Chirchir attributed this incident to a failed cable at a substation commissioned in 1992, emphasizing the need for reconstruction and upgrading of critical infrastructure.
The Energy Secretary outlined measures taken to address grid instability, including the installation of additional capacity and the implementation of system defense mechanisms such as under frequency load shedding.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to reinforce the grid and prevent future disruptions, including the evaluation of circuits through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
He also outlined reforms within Kenya Power aimed at improving governance, reducing power losses, and strengthening the company's balance sheet.
The Energy CS also dispelled concerns over delayed connection of transformers stating the ministry and Kenya Power and Lighting Company are accelerating procurement and connections.
Members of Parliament have already initiated a move aimed at breaking the monopoly held by KPLC over the sale of electricity meters which they believe will address delays in connecting thousands of households to the national power grid.
