AfriPulse
Kenya Power has asked customers to unlock premises and meter boxes and to grant their personnel access to the premises as it rolls out a nationwide Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system designed to replace manual electricity meter reading countrywide.
In a notice released on March 9, Kenya Power said locked gates, sealed meter boxes, and restricted premises have hindered its personnel from capturing electricity readings for millions of customers nationwide today.
Kenya Power urges households and businesses to allow authorised staff to access electricity meters so readings can be scanned and transmitted instantly through the nationwide rollout of the new digital platform.
“As the system is being rolled out across the country, we have noted that locked premises and meter boxes are the main challenge affecting meter reading. Customers are therefore kindly requested to allow our staff access to meters within their premises, including opening meter boxes where necessary,” stressed Kenya Power.
Kenya Power staff attending to a transformer during a past maintenance exercise in Nairobi County.
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Kenya Power
In the same notice, Kenya Power stated that the new technology allows field teams to scan meter displays on mobile devices instead of manually entering readings, a shift expected to improve speed, accuracy, and consistency in customer billing nationwide.
“The OCR system allows our teams to scan meter displays directly, instead of manually typing meter numbers and readings. This improves the accuracy and efficiency of billing, helping ensure customers receive correct bills,” stated Kenya Power.
Kenya Power explained that the OCR system captures numbers directly from the meter display using a device camera, reducing the risk of human error that often occurs when readers manually enter readings during routine billing cycles.
The technology can recognise digits on digital and traditional mechanical meters, enabling meter readers to record electricity consumption in seconds while eliminating paperwork and handwritten logs that previously slowed the billing process across service areas.
Kenya Power says the upgrade is part of a wider digital transformation plan aimed at improving customer experience and strengthening operational efficiency as the utility modernises systems for managing electricity supply and billing nationwide.
In November 2025, the OCR system was deployed in Nairobi before expanding to other regions as part of a nationwide rollout targeting nearly two million postpaid electricity meters across the country.
Kenya Power highlights that scanning meters directly allows readings to be captured instantly within the system, helping reduce disputes over estimated bills and improving transparency for customers who rely on accurate monthly electricity statements across the country.
Customers have been advised to confirm the identity of visiting staff by checking official Kenya Power identification cards, which display staff employee numbers and national identity details, before granting access to meters within their premises.
“For your safety, all Kenya Power staff visiting customer premises will carry official identification cards with their staff number and national ID details,” stressed Kenya Power.
Kenya Power workers repair a transformer on the Meru-Makutano road on March 28, 2016.
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Kenya Power
Source: Kenyans.co.ke | Read the Full Story…
