Woman Laments Paying KPLC Over KSh 100k In Monthly Power Bills

• Vivo Energy Kenya announced a reduction in energy consumption by 13,000 kWh per month from Kenya Power after installing solar power
• The announcement caught the attention of a KPLC domestic customer who sought to know why the electricity supplier charges her more compared to the firm
• Emma Too lamented spending over KSh 100,000 every month on Kenya Power electricity bills, questioning the billing system

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

A Kenyan woman has raised her concerns over the high electricity bills she pays every month, yet she lives alone.

The lady revealed that she has been paying Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) over KSh 100,000 in power bills per month.

How many KPLC units does Emma Too use?

Emma Too shared screenshots of electricity bills from KPLC, lamenting the increased charges on the same amount of units per month.

The screenshot showed she paid KSh 103,716.68 in October 2021 for 3967 kWh.

"I tabulated a whole total charged units and actual readings and found that I was overcharged KSh 200,000 that year," Too argued.

In October 2023, Too paid KPLC KSh 42,151.68 for 1277 electricity units.

The lady was responding to the announcement by Vivo Energy Kenya after it cut its energy consumption by 13,000 kWh per month from Kenya Power.

The company installed a 156MW solar plant in its Nairobi terminal, joining other firms in the country using solar energy.

How KPLC bills postpaid meter customers

She questioned why the utility firm charged her over 2,000 units per month, yet she stays alone in a three-bedroom house.

"Vivo Energy uses 13,000 units a month and KPLC charge me a single occupant in a 3-bedroom house 1,000-1,200 units and sometimes over 2000 units a month? I used to be charged 240-350 units, what changed?"

Too poked holes into KPLC's billing system for post-paid meter customers, asking where the rest of the money goes in the calculation.

KPL migrates postpaid customers to prepaid

Kenyans advised the lady to change the payment system from the old meter to the new meter.

KPLC managing director Joseph Siror announced plans to migrate postpaid customers to the prepaid system, especially in rural areas.

The utility firm noted the process will take three years and is aimed at lowering power theft and metre reading costs.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, KPLC noted that the transition process is seamless and will cost customers about KSh 7,500.

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