Kajiado, Makueni villages get reprieve from crippling blackouts

Villages in Kajiado and Makueni counties that endured blackouts lasting up to three days now have a stable power supply, following the completion of a new transmission line serving the region.

This follows the commissioning of the 132kV Sultan Hamud-Loitoktok transmission line by President William Ruto on Thursday, September 3,  at Loitoktok Substation.

The 107-kilometre line, built by the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), links Sultan Hamud in Makueni County to Loitoktok in Kajiado County.

The project included extension works at the existing Sultan Hamud Substation and construction of a new 132/33kV substation at Loitoktok.

It also involved reinforcing Kenya Power's medium-voltage lines in the region, cutting the intermittent outages that had long affected southern Kajiado.

"The commissioning of the Sultan Hamud-Loitoktok transmission infrastructure demonstrates my government’s commitment to delivering transformative projects that improve the lives of Kenyans," said Ruto, adding, “We are investing in critical electricity infrastructure to unlock economic opportunities, support businesses and improve livelihoods."

Ruto noted the project would strengthen the tourism sector around Amboseli National Park, where hotels and tourism facilities are among the beneficiaries of the improved supply.

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said power demand is rising among both households and businesses across the country.

"For power to reach the end user, it must be transmitted, and that is why KETRACO is important. The Sultan Hamud-Loitoktok line and its substations are part of this important infrastructure development programme implemented by the government of Kenya," observed Wandayi.

State Department for Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira explained the line was built to accommodate rising demand.

"We have seen tremendous growth in power demand. We used to handle around 2 MW, but now we are handling approximately 6 MW," said Wachira, adding, “This Sultan Hamud Loitoktok line is ready to onboard more investors and is a huge undertaking that is meant to spur the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda."

KETRACO Acting Managing Director Kipkemoi Kibias said the line would support enterprises, tourism, education and livelihoods across the two counties.

"Our role is to ensure that the transmission infrastructure is in place to support inclusive economic growth and bring the benefits of reliable power closer to Kenyans," noted Kibias.

The project cost Sh 2.7 billion, jointly funded by the Export-Import Bank of China and the Government of Kenya.

Construction began in July 2021 and was completed in October 2024, when the Loitokitok substation was energised. China Aerospace Construction Group Ltd carried out the works under KETRACO's supervision.