Kenya Power launches wildlife protection project to cut electrocutions and reduce outages

Kenya’s main electricity distributor has launched a joint initiative with a US-based company aimed at reducing cases of wildlife being electrocuted along power lines, with a pilot programme already underway in a key conservation area in Nakuru County.

The project, a partnership between Kenya Power and Kaddas Enterprises, was officially launched at Soysambu Conservancy on Thursday and is being rolled out through the utility firm’s Institute of Energy Studies and Research (IESR). It focuses on sections of the power network identified as high-risk points where animals frequently come into contact with electricity infrastructure.

The initiative involves fitting wildlife-friendly protective covers on selected power structures to prevent electrocution incidents while ensuring stable electricity supply in affected regions. Kenya Power says the approach is intended to address both environmental concerns and reliability challenges affecting the grid.

Soysambu Conservancy, located about 130 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, has in recent years recorded several cases involving the electrocution of birds of prey. The area is an important habitat for raptor species such as the Augur Buzzard and Martial Eagle, which often perch and hunt on power lines and poles, increasing their exposure to danger.

Kenya Power noted that animal-related incidents and human activities together account for nearly half of all power outages recorded on the network. Of these interruptions, about 30 percent are linked directly to wildlife coming into contact with electricity infrastructure.

Speaking during the launch, officials emphasized the need to balance conservation with infrastructure development.

“Wildlife is part of our national heritage, which heavily drives our tourism sector. Equally, Kenya Power’s role in energy distribution is a key component of our country’s economic growth. Our aspiration is to ensure peaceful co-existence between nature and the energy infrastructure. Thus, at IESR, our focus is to develop solutions that support this co-existence and enhance business efficiency,” said Eng. Henry Pwani, Head of Research at IESR.

Kenya Power says the five-year partnership with Kaddas Enterprises is expected to reduce both wildlife deaths and outages caused by animal interaction with the grid. The utility adds that lessons from the pilot phase will guide similar interventions in other areas facing comparable challenges.

The initial phase will focus on the Lanet–Naivasha Interconnector, a transmission line that passes through Soysambu Conservancy and has experienced repeated disruptions linked to wildlife electrocution, including incidents involving large animals such as giraffes.

“This line serves a big part of Nakuru County, and by undertaking this project here, we are looking forward to pick lessons that will be helpful as the project is rolled out other hotspot areas across the country,” Wesley Kerich, Kenya Power’s County Business Manager for Nakuru explained.

Beyond infrastructure upgrades, the partnership also includes training programmes for Kenya Power technical teams. The aim is to build awareness and ensure wildlife protection is considered in the planning, design, and management of energy infrastructure.