Kisii — Kenya Power company has urged Kisii County residents to protect power assets and have authorized personnel do connections to reduce the number of illegal electricity connections that lead to electrocution and blackout cases.

Speaking during a meeting with boda boda operators on the outskirts of Kisii town, KPLC Customer Experience Department Representative Hellen Mogire stated that electricity transformers and conductors were being vandalized in the region, saying there was a need to protect them.

"Transformers are very expensive. It will take at least three months to replace a vandalized transformer once we justify it by writing a business case. You will be in the dark all that time," added Mogire.

Mogire noted that KPLC fines customers up to Sh15,000 for vandalized low voltage conductors and Sh4,000 for stolen electricity meters that are sold to other residents for illegal connections.

She cautioned residents from contracting unauthorized people who walk around areas of residence doing electricity connections, adding that KPLC was conducting an operation to disconnect them.

"Make sure the electricity connection done at your homesteads is genuine. Those who do not have electricity should take application forms at our office and be connected to the last mile connectivity at a cheaper price," she stated.

Mogire further said that residents should ensure that quality cables are used to do wiring in their houses saying radio cables were not meant to connect electricity from one house to another because they cause fire incidents.

She encouraged residents to use electricity as required to avoid injuries to family members, noting that Kisii County was among leading counties where people have illegal connections.

Mogire asked residents to call the KPLC emergency number for power disconnection before cutting down trees close to electricity lines to eradicate electrocution cases that were on the rise in the region. - Kna