Kenya to Begin Power Rationing on 27 July

East Africa's drought has brought down water levels at Kenya's power dams, forcing power companies to ration it. Nairobi, the Rift Valley, and western Kenya will see the worst blackouts.

Kenya Power has announced a power rationing regime that will affect most parts of the country except for its coastal region. The rationing will be in the evenings between 6.40 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. local time and will mostly be confined to industrial areas.

The last time such rationing was put into effect was during the 1990s, during which blackouts were frequent due to the country’s over-reliance on the hydro-power sources for electricity, Nairobi’s Daily Nation news paper reported.

Kenya Power managing director Joseph Njoroge said that the rationing had become necessary due to his company generating a shortfall of 70-90 megawatts.

Kenya Power published a statement in local newspapers saying, "There has been insufficient power generation reserve margin to meet the ever rising national power demand. Consequently, Kenya Power has experienced a challenge in meeting demand during the evening peak period in various parts of the country."

Kenya Power is anticipating that the power supply situation in western Kenya will improve in the next two to three months when a 60 megawatt emergency power plant is installed at Muhoroni.

By. Joao Peixe, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com