Editor's Review
Police are pursuing the suspected vandals behind the damage of the critical power infrastructure.
Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has protested an act of vandalism that culminated in the collapsing of a transmission tower along the Naivasha–Juja 132kV double-circuit line Sunday dawn, September 20.
The incident, which occurred around 3 am, triggered a power outage that disrupted electricity supply through the Ruaraka Substation, the KPLC said.
According to the utility firm, its teams moved swiftly to contain the disruption, rerouting power through alternative substations and restoring supply to all affected customers within roughly ninety minutes.
"Our teams immediately rerouted power through alternative substations, restoring supply to all affected customers by 4:30 am," the company said.
Items recovered at the scene of the collapse have raised further concerns about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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Kenya Power indicated that evidence found at the site suggests those responsible were at the location when the structure came down.
"Items recovered at the scene indicate that the vandals were present when the tower collapsed," the statement read.
The company said its security team is working alongside police to establish the full facts of the case, even as efforts to repair the damaged infrastructure get under way.
Kenya Power confirmed that its transmission and Airmobile teams have already begun restoration works on the affected line.
Beyond the immediate incident, Kenya Power drew attention to a wider and escalating pattern of attacks on electricity infrastructure across the country.
The company disclosed that vandalism cases have surged sharply in recent months, with dozens of transformers targeted.
"In the last three months alone, we have recorded a 200% increase in vandalism incidents, including 37 transformers that were vandalised over the period," the company said.
Kenya Power described the trend as a growing danger to the stability of the national grid, warning that such attacks carry consequences that extend well beyond the immediate loss of power.
The company said the damage undermines efforts to maintain a reliable network and erodes investments made in the power sector, calling for a more coordinated response involving both authorities and the public.
"Vandalism has become one of the biggest threats to the reliability and sustainability of our electricity network," the company said, adding that it condemns all acts targeting power installations as a threat to public safety and a cause of substantial financial losses.
The company appealed to members of the public to play their part in protecting electricity infrastructure within their communities, urging anyone who notices suspicious activity near power installations to alert the nearest police station or report directly to Kenya Power.
Investigations into Sunday's incident remain ongoing.
