When Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) announced a day‑long maintenance exercise for Tuesday, April 29, 2025, residents across three counties braced for scheduled power cuts that could stretch up to nine hours.
The outage will ripple through parts of Machakos County, Uasin Gishu County and Kiambu County. KPLC says the work is essential to upgrade aging infrastructure, improve reliability, and prevent unplanned blackouts that have plagued the grid for years.
Why the Maintenance Matters
Kenya's electricity demand has surged by roughly 6 % annually since 2020, according to the Energy Regulatory Authority. That growth has stretched the national grid thin, especially in industrial hubs like the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) of Machakos. EPZ operators have long complained about voltage fluctuations that disrupt manufacturing lines.
"We’re replacing legacy transformers and installing new line monitoring equipment," explained John Mwangi, KPLC’s spokesperson, during a press briefing at the company’s Nairobi headquarters. "These upgrades will cut downtime by an estimated 15 % over the next two years."
Live‑Action Timetable: Who’s Affected and When
Below is a county‑by‑county breakdown of the scheduled outages. Times are local, and most areas will see power off between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except for one early‑start zone.
Machakos County – EPZ Zone
Power will be halted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. across the EPZ, affecting:
- Nordо
- Hela
- African Coffee Roasters
- Capital Industrial
- All surrounding industrial and residential customers within the EPZ boundary
Uasin Gishu County – Two Hotspots
Lugari Station will bear the longest outage, starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. – a nine‑hour black‑out. Affected locations include:
- Lugari Station itself
- Mufutu
- Lugari Boys' School
- Mukhuyu
- Lunyito
- Frank
- Nearby households connected to this feeder
Meanwhile, the Langas area will lose power from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., covering:
- Langas Corner
- Ndupawa
- Jijenge Quarry
- Yamumbi
- All adjacent customers on the same circuit
Kiambu County – Juja, Juja Farm & Athi
In Kiambu, three clusters will see interruptions from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The list is long, but the most talked‑about spots are:
- Corner Brook
- KPP Production
- Space & Style
- St. Dominic School
- Mastores
- Abba Salama
- Chai Road
- Kirathimo
- Tumaini
- Mungetho Juja Farm
- And dozens of small businesses and homes along the same line
How KPLC Prepares for Planned Outages
KPLC follows a standard operating procedure that aims to keep daytime interruptions short and predictable. The utility sends advance notices via SMS, local radio, and bill inserts. In the past year, roughly 92 % of planned cuts were completed within the announced window, according to the company’s internal performance dashboard.
"We coordinate with local authorities, schools, and large manufacturers to minimise impact," Mwangi added. "Where possible we schedule maintenance after peak industrial hours, but safety and equipment integrity come first."
Community Response and Expert Insight
Local business owners in the Machakos EPZ expressed mixed feelings. "We understand the need, but a full‑day shutdown means we lose about $12,000 in production," said Grace Njeri, manager of African Coffee Roasters. "We’ll have to shift orders, which isn’t cheap. Still, if the grid becomes more reliable, the trade‑off might be worth it."
Energy analyst David Ochieng of the African Energy Institute noted that Kenya’s grid upgrade program aims to add 1,200 MW of capacity by 2027. "Planned outages like this are the unsung heroes of that roadmap. They let utilities replace aging components without causing emergency blackouts that can ripple for hours."
What Residents Can Do Right Now
Preparation tips from KPLC include:
- Charge phones and laptops before the outage begins.
- Keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy.
- Unplug sensitive electronics to avoid surge damage when power returns.
- If you run a business, arrange for backup generators if feasible.
- Stay informed via the KPLC helpline: 0800‑123‑456.
The utility apologised in advance, urging patience and promising that the upgrades will lead to fewer surprise outages caused by wildlife, weather, or equipment failure.
Looking Ahead: Grid Modernisation in Kenya
Beyond April 29, KPLC has a packed calendar of projects: a 400 kV line from Nairobi to Mombasa slated for Q3 2025, and a pilot smart‑meter rollout in select Nairobi districts. These initiatives aim to bring real‑time monitoring, reduce technical losses, and enable renewable integration.
For now, the focus is on getting the lights back on in Machakos, Uasin Gishu, and Kiambu. If all goes to plan, residents will see fewer flickers and more stable voltage when the sun sets on Tuesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is KPLC carrying out such extensive maintenance on a single day?
The utility groups several nearby feeders into one shutdown window to cut down on overall disruption time. By tackling multiple zones together, crews can replace transformers, clear vegetation, and test new protection devices in a coordinated effort, which ultimately shortens the total downtime for customers across the three counties.
Which businesses are most affected by the April 29 outage?
Industrial firms inside the Machakos EPZ—like African Coffee Roasters and Capital Industrial—face the longest eight‑hour blackout, potentially impacting daily output worth tens of thousands of dollars. In Uasin Gishu, schools such as Lugari Boys' School will need backup generators to keep essential services running, while small retailers in Kiambu’s Juja Farm area risk losing sales during peak afternoon shopping hours.
What steps can households take to protect their devices?
Unplug televisions, computers, and kitchen appliances before the outage starts. Using surge protectors can further guard against voltage spikes when power returns. It’s also wise to keep a portable charger or power bank fully charged for emergency communication.
Will there be any compensation for prolonged outages?
KPLC typically does not offer monetary compensation for planned maintenance, but customers can claim billing adjustments if they experience an abnormal increase in consumption once service resumes. The company advises filing a complaint through its customer service portal within 30 days of the outage.
How does this maintenance fit into Kenya’s broader energy goals?
The upgrades are part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 agenda to expand reliable electricity access to 100 % of households and support industrial growth. By modernising critical feeders, KPLC helps reduce technical losses—currently around 16 %—and prepares the grid for greater renewable energy integration, especially geothermal and wind power projects slated for the next decade.
9 Comments
Balaji Srinivasan
September 29, 2025 AT 21:44 PMThanks for the heads‑up, we’ll make sure the generators are ready.
Vibhor Jain
September 29, 2025 AT 22:18 PMOh great, another day without power-just what we needed to boost productivity.
vikash kumar
September 29, 2025 AT 22:51 PMIt is commendable that KPLC has opted for a coordinated outage to facilitate the refurbishment of critical infrastructure, thereby enhancing systemic resilience.
Anurag Narayan Rai
September 29, 2025 AT 23:24 PMThe scheduled maintenance on April 29 represents a significant logistical undertaking for KPLC across three distinct counties.
While the inconvenience to households and businesses is palpable, the long‑term benefits merit consideration.
Upgrading transformers and installing line monitoring equipment is essential in a grid that has been expanding at a steady six percent annually.
The EPZ in Machakos, in particular, has long suffered from voltage fluctuations that impede manufacturing cycles.
By consolidating multiple feeder shutdowns into a single window, KPLC can reduce cumulative downtime compared with scattered outages.
This approach also optimizes the deployment of crews and specialized equipment, which are often limited resources.
From an operational perspective, the nine‑hour window allows thorough testing of protective relays, ensuring that any post‑maintenance issues are addressed promptly.
Moreover, the coordination with local authorities and schools, as mentioned by the spokesperson, demonstrates a community‑centric planning model.
Residents can mitigate personal inconvenience by following the recommended preparation steps, such as charging devices and using surge protectors.
Businesses, especially those with high energy demands, might invest in temporary generators to safeguard production lines.
The projected 15 % reduction in downtime over the next two years aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 objectives for reliable power access.
It is also worth noting that reducing technical losses, currently hovering around sixteen percent, will have a positive impact on overall system efficiency.
The upcoming 400 kV line project and smart‑meter rollout further underscore the strategic direction toward modernization.
While some critics argue that a single‑day outage is overly disruptive, the alternative-piecemeal repairs over weeks-could be far more costly.
In the broader regional context, a stabilized grid will attract further industrial investment, bolstering economic growth.
Ultimately, patience during this brief interruption may translate into a more dependable electricity supply for years to come.
Shubham Abhang
September 29, 2025 AT 23:58 PMI guess KPLC think they’re doing a good job, but honestly…looks like they’re just messing up our schedules!!! The whole nine‑hour blackout? that’s a lot…maybe they should've informed us earlier???
Trupti Jain
September 30, 2025 AT 00:31 AMThe narrative woven around this maintenance is replete with vivid metaphors yet retains a measured decorum, illustrating both the gravity and the necessary foresight inherent in such infrastructural endeavors.
Priya Patil
September 30, 2025 AT 01:04 AMHey folks, just a quick reminder to double‑check your fridge settings before the cut‑off – it’ll save food and hassle later.
Rashi Jaiswal
September 30, 2025 AT 01:38 AMDon’t stress, y’all! Grab a board game or binge that series you’ve been putting off – the power’s out, but the fun can stay on! 😄
Maneesh Rajput Thakur
September 30, 2025 AT 02:11 AMWhat most people fail to realize is that these planned outages are often timed to coincide with the government's hidden agenda to push for foreign energy contracts, a detail that rarely makes the mainstream headlines.