End of an era: Kenya Power goes digital, replaces old way of checking meters
By William Muthama, November 24, 2025Kenya Power has announced the rollout of a new digital meter reading system, officially ending the era of manual meter checks accuracy, speed, and efficiency.
In a statement shared on X on Monday, November 24, 2025, the company said the system uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to scan meter displays automatically, eliminating the need for manual entry, reducing human error, and improving billing accuracy.”
“Technology is a major driver of our business, particularly in billing. With the OCR system, the meter reader simply scans the meter, and the system captures the readings automatically. This saves time and ensures accuracy,” said Richard Wida, Kenya Power’s Commercial Cycle Manager.
The rollout will cover all eight Kenya Power regions, following a successful six-month pilot in Nairobi that began in March 2025.
A total of 1.8 million postpaid meters are set to benefit from the new system, ensuring monthly billing is more accurate and reliable.
According to the statement, the OCR system is part of Kenya Power’s broader digital transformation strategy to enhance service delivery and improve the customer experience. It is expected to reduce billing anomalies caused by incorrect meter readings and complement other digital initiatives deployed by the company.
Postpaid customers can also submit their own meter readings for accurate billing. Kenya Power said it plans to integrate OCR into these self-service platforms in the future, enabling customers to scan their own meters with minimal chance of error.
The statement also highlighted the deployment of smart meters for large power users, SMEs, and selected domestic customers.
These meters support two-way communication, allowing for remote meter reading, as well as disconnections and reconnections when necessary.
“This rollout is a significant milestone in Kenya Power’s journey towards technology-driven operations. It strengthens service delivery, enhances accuracy, and ensures a reliable experience for all our customers,” the statement read.
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