Kenya Power has introduced a new digital meter-reading technology designed to enhance billing accuracy and address longstanding customer complaints about estimated or incorrect bills.
In a press release issued on Monday, November 24, 2025, the electricity distributor announced the rollout of an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system that replaces the traditional manual meter-reading process.
The new system will eliminate the need for manual entry of meter numbers and readings by utilizing a faster, automated method that scans meter displays and instantly captures readings with high precision.
Kenya Power’s Commercial Cycle Manager, Richard Wida, stated that this shift represents a significant milestone in the utility company’s digital transformation efforts.
“Technology is a major driver of our business. With the OCR system, the meter reader simply scans the meter, and the system automatically captures the readings. This saves time and reduces the human errors that can occur during manual entry,” Wida explained.
The new system follows a successful six-month pilot program in Nairobi, launched in March 2025.
Kenya Power Rolls Out OCR Technology to Enhance Meter Reading Efficiency
Kenya Power will now roll out the technology across all eight regions of the country.
A total of 1.8 million postpaid meters are targeted to be read by the electricity distributor using OCR technology, which will be used for the monthly billing of postpaid meters that currently require manual reading.
Also Read: Boost for Kenya Power as MPs Vote to Lift Ban on Electricity Purchase Deals- What it Means
In addition to improving meter reading efficiency, the OCR system aims to reduce billing anomalies caused by incorrect meter readings.
“The OCR technology is a significant milestone in Kenya Power’s digital transformation journey, through which the company seeks to enhance service delivery and improve customer experience. It will complement other technologies the company has deployed to strengthen operations,” Wida noted.
Electricity Distributor Hints at Extending OCR Capabilities Directly to Customers
Kenya Power has also implemented other initiatives to leverage technology for improved service delivery, such as self-service platforms (Mypower App and USSD Code +977#), which allow customers to access the company’s services through their mobile phones.
Through these self-service options, postpaid customers can read their meters and submit their readings each month for accurate billing.
Also Read: Kenya Power Announces Attachments for Degree, Diploma, and Certificate Students
The power utility firm has also indicated plans to make OCR capabilities available directly to customers via its self-reading platform. This feature would enable users to scan their own meters for instant, error-free submission, giving customers greater control over the reading and billing process in the future.
“In the future, we want to enable the use of OCR for self-reading so our customers can conveniently scan and read their meters themselves, ensuring accurate submissions with minimal risk of error. This planned upgrade to the self-reading platform is part of our ongoing efforts to broaden access to digital services,” Wida added.
The utility firm has also deployed smart meters for large power users, SMEs, and selected domestic customers. These devices allow two-way communication, remote meter reading, and remote disconnection or reconnection.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
