Kenya Power To Compensate Customers After Blackouts, EPRA Proposes In New Regulations

• The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) drafted new proposals under the Energy (Electricity Reliability, Quality of Supply and Service) Regulations 2024
• If the new regulations sail through, postpaid customers will see their bills netted off, while those on prepaid will get free tokens
• Currently, KPLC compensates Kenyans for injuries or damaged assets but does not offer compensation for power losses, which result in losses for businesses

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has proposed new regulations that will see Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) compensate customers after blackouts.

What's the new EPRA proposal?

EPRA gazetted the new regulations for scrutiny, and the regulator noted it will determine how affected consumers will be compensated.

If the Energy (Electricity Reliability, Quality of Supply and Service) Regulations 2024) passes, postpaid customers will see their bills netted off, while those on prepaid will get free tokens.

"A licensee shall be liable to pay appropriate compensation to a person if there is a breach in the quality of supply or irregularity of electricity supply by the licensee, provided that the breach is reported to the licensee in writing within 30 days of the occurrence of the breach," the regulations state.

Currently, KPLC compensates Kenyans for injuries or damaged assets but does not offer compensation for power losses, resulting in business losses.

Why blackouts occur when it rains

KPLC previously explained the correlation between rains and power outages.

In a post on X, Kenya Power refuted claims it 'unhangs' electricity from the transmission lines, stating that:

"Hatuanuangi stima! Here’s a detailed explanation of the correlation between rain and unplanned power outages."

Kenya Power provided a graphic explanation using photos depicting heavy rains and strong winds that caused trees to fall on transmission lines.

These trees may break the transmission line, which will lead to blackouts.

When was the last nationwide blackout?

Kenyans experienced a nationwide power outage on the evening of Thursday, May 2, prompting widespread lamentation and online discussions.

Kenya Power confirmed the outage, attributing it to a "system disturbance on the grid", and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

KPLC, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, unveiled a backup National Control Centre to minimise outages.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.