Why Kenya Power customers in parts of Machakos and along Mombasa Road were without power
By Dan Kauna, September 13, 2026Kenya Power is currently working on the primary transformer at its Athi River substation, which explains why the lights have gone out for a good number of people in Machakos County and along Mombasa Road today.
The company announced the exercise on X on September 13, 2026, saying its sub-transmission team is “currently carrying out planned maintenance on the primary transformer at Athi River substation to help strengthen the network and improve reliability.”
Photos shared alongside the post show technicians and support vehicles on site, along with a close-up of the transformer itself undergoing the works.
Why the outage is necessary
A transformer cannot be safely worked on while it is live. Before technicians can touch it, the section of the network it feeds has to be switched off, which is why the maintenance translates directly into a blackout for the customers who depend on it.
Athi River substation is a key supply point along the Mombasa Road corridor, feeding homes, shops and businesses across a wide stretch of Machakos County, so taking its primary transformer offline for repairs means all of them go dark at once, not by fault, but by design, so the job can be done safely.
According to Kenya Power, “customers in parts of Machakos County and along Mombasa Road are currently affected, with the work scheduled to run until 5.00 p.m.”
That gives residents and businesses in these areas a window for when supply should return, once the transformer is back online and reconnected to the grid.
How to report a power issue
If your power has not returned by the stated time, or you are facing an unrelated fault, Kenya Power has laid out several ways to reach them.
You can dial 977# to report an issue, use the MyPower App, or message their WhatsApp chatbot on 0702977977.
Kenya Power says the exercise is meant to “help strengthen the network and improve reliability”.