Several areas in Kisumu and Kakamega counties will experience scheduled power interruptions on Friday, Kenya Power has announced.
The utility firm issues public notices hours prior to performing routine system maintenance to enable customers make necessary arrangements to mitigate inconveniences.
The affected areas in the two counties we will be without power from 9 am to 5pm.
In Kisumu, Kona Legio, Kona Mbaya, Manyatta Market, Kisumu Polytechnic, Sije, Mbeme Junction and adjacent customers will be affected.
In Kakamega, affected areas include Musanda Market, Bungatsi, Navakholo Market, Huchisi Market, Stigume, Matawe and adjacent customers.
WHY POWER INTERRUPTIONS ARE NECESSARY
Kenya Power performs planned and unplanned interruptions for various reasons, including network maintenance, upgrades, connecting new customers, and addressing faults or emergencies.
Network maintenance and upgrades are usually scheduled outages to allow Kenya Power engineers to perform essential maintenance and upgrades on the power grid to enhance reliability and efficiency.
During road construction or other infrastructure projects, power lines may also need to be replaced, requiring temporary outages but with prior notice to affected customers.
However, unplanned power interruptions can occur due to reasons beyond Kenya Power's control.
These include unforeseen faults and equipment failure, which can lead to power outages requiring temporary service interruptions to fix the fault.
Vandals can also damage power infrastructure, leading to outages and the need for repairs, which may involve temporary power supply interruptions.
Other times, extreme weather conditions like windy rainfall can damage power lines and equipment, causing outages and the need for repairs.
In some incidences, wildlife like elephants can cause damage to power lines, leading to outages.
Almost a decade ago, in June 2016, a monkey caused a nationwide blackout after it climbed onto the roof of the Gitaru Power Station and fell onto a transformer.
The primate tripped the transformer and triggered a chain disruption of power generation and distribution in the other stations that led to a loss of more than 180 megawatts of power.
