Kenya Power technicians working on a transformer. According to the latest figures, the cases of transformer vandalism have drastically reduced. [photo/ The Star.]
The vandalism of transformers has reduced by 40 percent in the fiscal year that ended in June, thus saving Kenya Power lots of money lost on the repairs.
According to the report released by the state entity, the number of cases of transformer vandalism recorded prior to June this year is 133 cases, which is a drop from 228 cases recorded last year at the same period.
The drop is attributed to the tough measures taken by the firm including increased surveillance, stiffer legal penalties and also modifications that includes placing transformers above live wires.
Transformers are mainly vandalized because of their toxic oil that is alleged to be used for frying food while the copper wires are sold to local electric dealers for the fixing of motors.
Kenya power has of late been fixing its transformers to more inaccessible places including home compounds and also mounting them on much taller poles.
The use of transformers that do not use oil has also seen the company save a lot on repairs of transformers and also reduce high rate of power shortage estimated by to be 25 days a year by World Bank.
Kenya power recently upgraded its 2012 law to imposing heavy penalties that include a jail term of up to 30 years imprisonment without an option of fine.