Kenya Power Proposes Ban On Copper Exports Amid Rampant Vandalism For Scrap Metal

• Kenya Power investigations revealed a direct link between vandalism and the copper waste business
• Kenya Power lost 365 transformers worth KSh 328 million in 2023 and has had 78 transformers vandalised in 2024
• Kenya Power proposed a total ban on copper exports, noting that in 2023 alone, Kenya exported copper waste and scrap worth KSh 6.7 billion, yet it does not produce the same

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

Kenya Power has proposed banning of copper exports to address vandalism of transmission infrastructure.

Speaking during a joint stakeholders' forum, Kenya Power Managing Director and CEO Joseph Siror cited a connection between local trade in waste copper and vandalism.

"Our investigations have revealed a direct link between vandalism and copper waste business. For example, between January and May 2022 when the government banned scrap metal dealing,we had zero cases of vandalism.

"However, immediately after the moratorium was lifted, we saw a serious spike in vandalism cases, and 76 transformers worth KSh 68 million were vandalised between May and December 2022," Siror said.

How Kenya Power plans to stop vandalism

Siror called for the vetting of all stakeholders engaged in the scrap metal trade, including local collectors, main scrap metal dealers, smelters and exporters.

"We propose that all traders dealing with scrap metal, especially copper and aluminium, must declare their sources to ensure traceability and accountability," he added.

During the forum, Kenya Power proposed a total ban on copper exports, noting that in 2023 alone, Kenya exported copper waste and scrap worth KSh 6.7 billion, yet it does not produce the same.

The transmission company also proposed a more robust regulatory framework in the scrap metal trade to help filter out rogue elements who are direct beneficiaries of vandalism.

Other anti-vandalism initiatives employed by the company include welding transformer units bases on channels, installing transformer units above high-voltage lines, installing alarm systems on transformers, switching from oil-filled to dry-type transformer units, using aluminum transformers, and extensive intelligence gathering.

Kenya Power installs new substations

In other related news, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) installed seven new substations in Nairobi and the Coast regions.

KPLC noted that the new stations were aimed at enhancing the electricity distribution network to meet the growing demand.

The utility company noted that the substations increased its network capacity by 260MVA (megavolt-amperes).

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke