The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Power & Lighting Company (KPLC), Dr. Joseph Siror, has shared insights into how public behavior contributes to the power outages that occur in the country.
In a discussion on March 17, Dr. Siror reassured Kenyans that power is available nationwide, but acknowledged that several factors are behind the occasional blackouts. He noted that some of the challenges faced are due to actions from the public.
“Looking at the root causes of these issues, a significant portion comes from the public themselves,” Dr. Siror explained.
While he acknowledged that some areas are indeed experiencing blackouts, he pointed out that many regions still have power. According to Siror, a major contributor to power outages in certain areas is the presence of trees near power lines.
He further explained that between 60 and 70 percent of power interruptions are due to trees obstructing power lines.
In his remarks, Dr. Siror highlighted a common challenge: some members of the public prevent KPLC officials from trimming or removing trees along power lines, citing environmental concerns. He emphasized that this resistance can be detrimental to maintaining consistent power supply.
“For nearly 70 percent of the blackouts, the cause could very well be a tree that wasn’t removed because people opposed our efforts,” he said.
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