By Daisy Okiring
NAIROBI, Kenya: The Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has begun rolling out a new Optical Character Recognition (OCR) meter-reading system that it says will eliminate human error and speed up billing. But a deeper look reveals the upgrade comes after years of public pressure, internal audit alarms and persistent allegations of manipulation within the power distributor’s meter-reading chain.
A digital shift driven by long-running concerns
KPLC maintains that the rollout is part of a wider digital transformation agenda meant to modernise operations and strengthen customer service. However, several internal audit reviews—some discussed within the utility as early as 2021—have repeatedly flagged inconsistencies in meter readings. These range from genuine mistakes to suspected collusion between field staff and a section of consumers who allegedly alter readings to reduce bills.
In many of those past reviews, mismatches between physical meter readings and system-logged consumption patterns raised unresolved questions. The introduction of OCR appears to be the company’s most serious attempt yet to seal those gaps and restore confidence in a billing system that has faced growing scrutiny.
Commercial Cycle Manager Richard Wida says the new system will reduce manual entry errors by allowing field staff to scan meter displays instead of typing in numbers. According to him, this shift will help eliminate inaccuracies that have long complicated billing while also saving time.
A quiet pilot that set the stage for a national rollout
The OCR system underwent a six-month pilot in Nairobi beginning March 2025. Though not widely publicised at the time, the pilot targeted neighbourhoods that historically generated the highest number of billing complaints. According to staff involved in the trial, the scanning system delivered a marked improvement in reading accuracy and flagged discrepancies faster than the traditional method.
With the pilot declared successful, Kenya Power has now launched a nationwide rollout across all eight company regions. The utility aims to transition 1.8 million postpaid meters to the new system. These are meters that still require physical reading every month—making them particularly vulnerable to human error and manipulation.
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Years of consumer frustration form the backdrop
Kenyans have long expressed frustration over estimated bills, sudden unexplained surges in monthly consumption, and instances where meters went unread for months. Many consumers also believe the utility has failed to address recurring errors and accountability loopholes within its billing chain.
Although KPLC has often attributed these issues to logistical limitations and legacy systems, some customer lobby groups argue that the company has been slow to address deeper operational weaknesses. They say the new technology may help reduce errors but warn that automation alone will not solve the underlying governance problems if internal oversight mechanisms remain unchanged.
One energy-sector advocate says previous upgrades have not always produced meaningful results because loopholes persist elsewhere in the system. According to the advocate, technology can detect errors but cannot eliminate staff misconduct unless decisive action is taken.
Existing digital tools show mixed success
KPLC has already deployed several digital tools intended to enhance efficiency, including the Mypower app and the *977# USSD self-service platform. These tools allow customers to submit their own readings and access bills directly from their mobile phones. The company also uses smart meters for large power users and select domestic customers. These advanced devices enable fully remote reading, remote disconnections and reconnections, and two-way data sharing.
Even with these improvements, millions of postpaid customers still rely on manual monthly meter reading. This makes them highly dependent on field staff and vulnerable to inaccuracies the OCR system aims to eliminate. Wida says KPLC intends to eventually integrate OCR technology into the customer self-reading option so that consumers can scan and submit their readings through their phones with minimal risk of error.
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Experts warn of remaining obstacles
Energy analysts agree that OCR technology marks a significant step forward but caution that billing problems will persist unless KPLC addresses structural issues. The accuracy of the scan may be high, analysts say, but the company must still confront challenges such as old or worn meters, illegal bypasses, outdated infrastructure and inconsistent supervision across different regions.
Some analysts also note that parts of the country lack stable digital connectivity, meaning that data uploaded from the field may not reach the system in real time. In such areas, billing delays or inconsistencies could continue despite the use of OCR.
A senior energy consultant who has studied KPLC’s billing system says the new technology will narrow the gap for human manipulation but cannot entirely eliminate it. The consultant describes OCR as a layer of protection rather than a complete fix, adding that KPLC will need to combine it with strict internal audits, reliable meter replacement programs and better monitoring systems.
Restoring public trust remains the biggest challenge
Beyond improving billing accuracy, the OCR system represents an attempt to rebuild the company’s public image. Over the years, accusations of inflated bills have severely damaged public trust in the utility, with some customers claiming Kenya Power relies on overbilling to compensate for system losses and power theft.
The company hopes that automated meter reading will create a transparent and predictable billing process that reduces disputes and enhances consumer confidence. If implemented effectively, the technology could streamline data collection, strengthen revenue accuracy and improve planning for electricity distribution.
A promising start with unanswered questions
For now, the OCR rollout is an encouraging development for a company that has been under intense pressure to modernise. Yet the real test lies in whether the technology will be applied consistently, transparently and free of interference across all regions.
The question remains whether Kenya Power’s new scanning technology can truly end human manipulation and billing faults or whether it will become another well-intended upgrade limited by deeper institutional weaknesses.
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