The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has issued an update after some parts of Western Kenya experienced a power outage on August 7.
In a statement by the Kenya Power, the company said the outage affecting five counties was caused by a fire at the Musaga Substation in Kakamega County, which disrupted electricity supply across parts of Western Kenya.
Following the fire at the Musaga Substation, electricity supply in Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, and parts of Vihiga County was affected.
The utility issued a customer alert, informing affected customers that restoration efforts were underway and requested the affected customers remain patient.
“Fire incident: Situation at Musaga Substation in Kakamega earlier this evening. Work is ongoing to restore electricity supply as soon as possible,” Kenya Power noted.
Fire at Musaga Substation Disrupts Supply
In a video, Kenya Power showed the impact of the fire incident at the power station as critical infrastructure went up in flames.
The utility then dispatched emergency teams to contain the fire and assess damage, setting in motion efforts to restore power in the affected counties. The cause of the fire was yet to be confirmed by the time of publishing this article.
Meanwhile, Kenya Power engineers have been working on alternative ways of supplying some of the affected areas while repairs and restoration activities continue at the substation, according to KPLC.
“We understand the disruption this is causing to homes and businesses. We are re-routing power through alternative supply lines to restore electricity to customers progressively as the incident at the substation is addressed. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused,” KPLC reassured customers.
The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has previously identified infrastructure around Musaga as part of projects aimed at strengthening electricity transmission and improving reliability in the Western region. According to KETRACO, the planned transmission projects in the Western region aim to strengthen the network, reduce voltage instability and improve system reliability.
Also Read: KPLC Gives Latest Update on Mysterious Countrywide Blackout
Public Reaction to Western Kenya Blackout
Public reaction on social media was a mix of frustration, concern, and questions over the latest widespread blackout.
Many users demanded faster restoration efforts, with some criticizing Kenya Power’s maintenance of electricity infrastructure and calling for improved reliability.
Additionally, members of the public raised concerns about the availability of firefighting equipment at substations.
Others sought clarification on whether the outage was responsible for prolonged power cuts in their areas, particularly in Busia.
Also Read: Kenya Power Restores Prepaid Token Purchase Platforms
KPLC on Earlier Blackouts
The power outage in five Western Kenya counties comes days after the country experienced a widespread electricity outage in July.
KPLC restored the power supply in response to the five hours of darkness across the country, affecting customers without any notification.
On July 30, the company confirmed the outage that affected residents in Nairobi, the Coast region, Mt Kenya and parts of the Central Rift.
However, KPLC clarified that parts of Western regions and North Rift had electricity supply throughout the widespread outage.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
