NAIROBI, KENYA – Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has announced a scheduled power interruption for Saturday, November 22, 2025, that will affect large areas within Kajiado and Siaya counties for approximately eight hours. The utility company stated the outage is necessary to conduct essential network maintenance aimed at improving the reliability and safety of the power supply in these regions.

In a public notice issued on Friday, November 21, 2025, Kenya Power detailed the specific timings and localities for the planned blackout. In Kajiado County, the interruption is scheduled to last from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EAT. The areas affected are extensive and include critical commercial and agricultural hubs such as Oloitoktok Town, Kimana, and Namelock. The outage will also impact Ilasit, Tarakea, Entarara Rombo, Elerai Njukini, Isinet Itilal, Inchalai, and Mbirikani Market, along with adjacent customers. These areas are significant for cross-border trade with Tanzania and host numerous agricultural enterprises that rely on consistent power for irrigation and operations.

In Siaya County, the maintenance is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EAT. The affected locations include Ajigo, Gobei, Ndori, and Barchando, as well as surrounding residential and commercial customers. These interruptions are expected to disrupt daily activities for thousands of households and small businesses, including welding workshops, barber shops, and cyber cafes, which depend entirely on electricity.

Economic Impact of Frequent Outages

Scheduled and unscheduled power outages remain a significant operational challenge for Kenyan businesses. Research indicates that power interruptions can lead to substantial financial losses, with one study suggesting that outages can cause a 7% loss in private sector sales revenue, which translates to a 2% impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). For manufacturing firms, unreliable power disrupts production schedules, can damage sensitive equipment, and leads to the loss of perishable goods. The frequent nature of these interruptions forces many businesses to invest in costly alternative power sources, such as diesel generators, which increases their operational expenses.

Commercial and industrial customers are the largest consumers of electricity in Kenya, accounting for over half of the total consumption. Consequently, widespread outages, even for maintenance, have a tangible impact on the national economy. A 2023 report highlighted that a nationwide blackout could cost the manufacturing sector approximately KSh 119.4 million per hour, assuming no businesses switch to backup power.

KPLC's Grid Upgrade and Reliability Efforts

Kenya Power has consistently stated that these planned shutdowns are a crucial component of a broader strategy to upgrade and maintain the country's aging electricity grid. The utility company's routine maintenance includes upgrading infrastructure, clearing vegetation from power lines to prevent unplanned outages, and ensuring the overall stability of the network. These efforts are part of a long-term plan to enhance system efficiency and reduce losses. In its 2022 financial report, KPLC noted that such measures had improved system efficiency from 76.05% to 77.57%.

The interruptions in Kajiado and Siaya are part of a continuous, nationwide schedule of maintenance. In the preceding days, similar outages were planned for other counties, including Kajiado on November 20 and Kiambu on November 19, underscoring the scale of the ongoing works. While acknowledging the inconvenience, Kenya Power urges customers in the affected areas to make alternative arrangements to minimize disruption to their daily routines and business operations. The company also advises the public to treat all power lines as live during the maintenance period for safety reasons.