This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
Published on January 6, 2020, Kenya Power has made a surprising U-turn on its plan to phase out post-paid meters.
The utility firm had earlier announced plans to shift to prepaid metering to reduce customer debt, citing non-payment of electricity bills, shortage of meter readers, and disputed bills as major contributors to its financial woes.
However, in a recent tender notice, Kenya Power invited bids from manufacturers and suppliers of post-paid meters, signaling a reversal of its earlier stance.
According to the notice, the firm is seeking to supply 199,157 single-phase post-paid meters, with the tender closing on January 17.
Kenya Power's decision to retain post-paid meters comes as the firm looks to expand its customer base through the return of its Last Mile Connectivity Project, which aims to link homes to the national grid under a subsidized program.
As of 2016, seven out of 10 Kenya Power customers were already on prepaid meters, according to official data.
Kenya Power's earlier plan to phase out post-paid meters was met with controversy, particularly in 2018, when the firm faced claims of inflated bills and a glitch in its electronic payment system.
