Electricity supply from the 300mw Lake Turkana Wind Power Plant has been cut off indefinitely after a section of the 220kV Loiyangalani-Suswa electricity line crushed.
This has raised concerns of a power shortage and rationing in the country in the coming days after four towers collapsed in the Longonot area of Mai Mahiu.
Kenya Power company has warned of a likely power shortfall as its engineers moved in to access the damage.
Engineers from the power retailer and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) are repairing the damaged sections.
Following the incident, Kenya Power issued a statement to assure electricity consumers that normalcy would be restored in the coming days.
The company said that the incident had led to the switching off of the Turkana power plant that is connected to Suswa substation resulting in a generation shortfall.
“Kenya Power engineers are working closely with other agencies to reconstruct the affected section and restore power supply in the shortest time possible,” said the company.
Families living along the power line have raised safety concerns after the high voltage cables fell in their homes in Longonot village.
According to John Njenga, the first tower crushed over the weekend before the other three followed raising fear and anxiety in the area.
He said that they had in the past requested Ketraco to relocate families living near the power line but their pleas were ignored.
“It’s by God’s grace that the power line fell on the cowshed after one of the nearby tower lines crushed and we hope this will be fully resolved in the coming days,” he said.
Njenga said that there were fears that other towers along the line could collapse in the coming days due to the strong winds in the area.
Another resident David Waigi said that the blame lies with Ketraco which failed to allocate ample space along the power line during its construction two years ago.
He said that families living near the power line were ready to move out if the power transmission company compensated them.
“Already four electricity towers have collapsed and there are fears that more could crush leading to loss of life and property in this area,” he said.
The incident has raised concern over the quality of works on the power line with the contractor being blamed for poor workmanship. BY THE STAR