Kenya Power Schedules Major 8-Hour Outages Across Six Counties for Maintenance on April 24

Widespread Planned Outages: What to Expect

If you live in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kisii, Kirinyaga, Kilifi, or Embu, brace yourself for a full-day power disruption this Thursday, April 24, 2025. Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) is shutting off electricity for up to eight hours across certain locations to handle crucial line repairs and infrastructure upgrades. It’s all part of their ongoing campaign to modernize an aging grid that’s feeling the strain from surging demand and new road projects cutting through existing corridors.

The list of affected areas is wide, but the company confirmed that multiple schools and markets in Kisii County will go dark as workers swarm the lines for maintenance. KPLC hasn’t released a neighborhood-by-neighborhood map for other counties, yet residents in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Kilifi, and Embu are all in the blackout zone. Many businesses and households will need to get creative when it comes to keeping the day running smoothly, as most work, learning, and even simple tasks like charging devices could take a hit.

Why Planned Outages Matter

While no one loves an unexpected blackout, these planned interruptions are part of a larger effort to beef up the grid’s reliability—especially as Kenya juggles rapid urban growth, new real estate developments, and major roadworks. According to KPLC, power outage schedules let technicians upgrade old transformers, replace weather-damaged wires, add new customer connections, and safely reroute lines whenever construction digs up the ground. Skipping this window could leave entire neighborhoods vulnerable to sudden breakdowns or make it riskier for workers tackling upgrades in live conditions.

What does that mean in practice? If you run a small shop in Kisii market or manage a school in Nairobi, you’re looking at a long stretch off the grid—potentially from morning to late afternoon. Businesses with backup plans like generators or solar panels will have a leg up. For everyone else, having advance notice means you can plan meals, charge up electronics, and make backup arrangements, instead of getting caught off guard.

KPLC has promised that these disruptions, frustrating as they feel, are aimed at minimizing the longer, chaotic outages that can happen when equipment finally fails. By biting the bullet now, the hope is fewer headaches for customers later. The company is urging everyone in the affected counties to treat power lines as live even during the blackout, since restoration may happen faster than scheduled if work wraps up ahead of time.

If you’re living or running a business in an area that’s part of Thursday’s schedule, now’s the time to plan and pass the word. Outages like this are never convenient, but Kenya Power says it’s one more step toward a stronger, more dependable grid for everyone.