What Is Load Shedding? The Strategy CS Chirchir is Banking on to End Blackouts
On Sunday, Kenya experienced another power outage for the third time in 3 months, causing scrutiny on high-ranking government figures such as Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Kenya Power CEO Joseph Siror.
During a press briefing on Monday, Energy CS Davis Chirchir communicated to Kenyans about the government’s plans to tackle the issue. He mentioned the government’s exploration of lasting remedies, such as implementing a load-shedding mechanism aimed at decreasing regular power interruptions.
”One of the mitigations or interventions that we will be going back to the engineers to sit on is load shedding,” the CS stated.
However, what exactly is load shedding and what are its mechanisms? PoliticalPulseChat examines this topic in the following discussion.
Load shedding involves a deliberate and temporary decrease in the distribution of electricity to avert a total system breakdown.
It entails intentionally disconnecting electricity to particular regions in an organized fashion.
By undertaking this action, it lessens the strain on the power grid, thereby averting extensive blackouts.
It aids in equilibrating the accessible power with the requirements, guaranteeing a more consistent and dependable provision of electricity for all.
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During his speech, CS Chirchir clarified that rather than burdening a line excessively, which could lead to a nationwide power outage, he suggested removing certain feeders to reduce the strain.
”Instead of pushing the lines to an overload, we will basically give the line the load that it can carry and therefore have some kind of scheduled load shedding,” he added.
This indicates that certain regions in the country will need to deal with planned power outages to ease the strain on power lines and prevent widespread national power failures.
CS Chirchir expressed his intention to hold discussions with energy parastatal leaders to explore effective strategies for implementing load shedding to prevent future power outages.
Chirchir, leading the Energy Ministry, is being held accountable for the recurrent power blackouts, with Kenyan citizens urging him to acknowledge his failure to rectify the issue.
In the meantime, Kipchumba Murkomen, the Transport Cabinet Secretary, has urged the National Police Service (NPS) to look into what he labeled as possible deliberate disruption at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after experiencing three power failures in three months.
What Is Load Shedding? The Strategy CS Chirchir is Banking on to End Blackouts