In a shocking turn of events early Tuesday morning, Kisii County was enveloped in darkness following a brazen attack on the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) power station in Kegati.
Under the cover of night, assailants targeted the critical infrastructure, resulting in widespread power outages across the entire county. The Kegati substation, serving as Kisii’s primary power transmission hub, fell victim to the assault at approximately 3 am, leaving residents without electricity.
Reports indicated that the perpetrators not only caused significant damage to key equipment but also inflicted injuries upon security personnel stationed at the site.
Kenya Power, in a message disseminated to customers, painted a grim picture of the aftermath, expressing regret over the extensive power outage.
“This is to notify you that last night criminals/vandals went to our main Kegati 33/11kv Substation and vandalized major equipment. This being our main biggest and main substation we have therefore lost power supply to the whole of Kisii County,” Kenya Power said.
While efforts to restore power were underway, Kenya Power cautioned that the process would be protracted given the extent of the damage inflicted by the attackers.
“Our team is on-site, but the restoration of power will be a time-consuming endeavor,” the company warned, urging residents to brace themselves for an extended period without electricity.
As Kisii County grapples with the ramifications of the attack, Kenya Power issued an apology to affected customers, soliciting their patience and understanding during what they described as a sad and difficult moment.
The attack on the KETRACO power station comes just days after a system disturbance caused widespread power outages across the nation.
“At 5:40 PM (EAT) Thursday, 2nd May 2024, we experienced a system disturbance on the grid, resulting in power supply disruption in most parts of the country,” Kenya Power said in a statement.
The disruption resulted in inconvenience for many residents, prompting a call for patience as Kenya Power worked tirelessly to restore normal electricity supply.
With Kisii County now plunged into darkness, the incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the urgent need for heightened security measures to safeguard against such attacks in the future.