Kenya Power and Lighting Company announced on Tuesday that the Prepaid vending system will be interrupted for 24 hours. The interruptions will take effect from Sunday at 10 p.m. on June 2nd to Monday at 10 p.m. on June 3rd.
During this period, customers who relied on prepaid systems, also known as tokens, will not be able to make any payments to Kenya Power. Kenya Power customers will not buy tokens from Mpesa Paybill numbers, Kenya Power offices, Airtel money, and other banking channels.
Part of the statement delivered by Kenya Power reads;
During this 24-hour period, customers will be unable to purchase electricity tokens from all vending points, including Kenya Power offices, M-PESA Paybill number 888880, Airtel Money, and banking channels.
The company will initiate this interruption to facilitate a planned system network upgrade that will improve its efficiency and reliability.
To avoid inconveniences during the 24 hours, Kenya Power advises customers who depend on prepaid tokens to stock up enough before the said dates. This directive is likely to affect over 6.8 million prepaid customers that the company currently serves.
The utility company had earlier indicated that it serves over 2.1 million postpaid customers throughout the country. These customers help the company earn over Ksh120 billion, which is 63 percent of its total revenue.
Kenya Power Prepaid tokens kit
Despite the huge earnings, KPLC announced that it intended to migrate all its postpaid customers to the prepaid system. The majority of the customers using the postpaid option prefer it over the prepaid and will likely suffer a huge hit when the migration happens.
The scheduled maintenance could also be a response to the technical glitch that occurred in January, causing a 15-hour power interruption. The company blamed the glitch on the mobile money transfer system and stated that it affected customers who rely on the prepaid system.
The interruption is part of moves by Kenya Power to ensure the efficiency and reliability of its power distribution system. The company aims to implement important improvements that it believes will benefit the customer.
The move is also part of the company’s efforts to streamline operations and modernize its infrastructure. The aim is to meet customers’ ever-evolving needs while ensuring the efficiency and reliability of their services.
While customers are urged to ensure they have enough tokens before the date of the upgrade, the company assures the public of continuous updates. The company also assures its customers of minimal interruptions and a smooth transition through effective communication.
