A cascading transmission line failure plunged Kenya into darkness Sunday night, leaving millions without electricity for hours.
The blackout stemmed from “system constraints due to a sudden energy demand increase,” the Ministry of Energy said Monday. A key transmission line tripped offline at 7:33 p.m., overloading other lines and triggering generation plants to go offline across the country.
“The loss of the Kisumu-Muhoroni link led to sudden increase in power flow on the Juja — Lessos – Muhoroni link, leading to overload at Olkaria 2 transformers and Dandora —Juja transmission link,” the ministry said in a statement. “This led to the cascade of generation trips resulting in the widespread power outages.”
Within hours, the national power company had restored electricity to 60% of customers. By morning, nearly all service had returned, excluding parts of Nairobi, the North Eastern province and Coast region, which were reconnected by mid-morning.
Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir blamed an “sub optimally” operating grid stretching beyond its limits.
“These conditions make the system vulnerable to system disturbances,” Chirchir said.
He recommended fast-tracking critical transmission projects to “provide redundancy, deload the existing lines and strengthen the grid backbone.” Upgrading hydroelectric turbines for greater output range would also boost grid spinning reserves in the near-term, he said.
Chirchir urged lifting a moratorium on new power purchase agreements “in order to forestall shortfall of generation capacity required to meet the growing demand.”
The blackout highlighted the challenges of managing a complex modern grid, integrating growing renewable energy while maintaining consistent service, experts said.
“The impact of the moratorium on signing of PPAs on the economy, therefore, needs to be lifted in order to forestall shortfall of generation capacity required to meet the growing demand and to replace retiring power plants in the medium term,” Chirchir said.
