Friday, April 26, 2024 – You now risk being arrested if found cutting your own trees or even trimming them.
This is after the Energy and
Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) advised Kenyans to seek Kenya Power's
permission before cutting down trees near power lines.
In an advisory to Kenyans, the
authority explained that cutting down trees or trimming tree branches
without assistance can cause damage to the power lines.
As a result, vast estates may
suffer blackouts as a result of the action.
"We advise against trimming
or cutting trees near power lines as it can damage electrical equipment and
cause potential outages to customers," EPRA urged.
"You should seek assistance
from the nearest Kenya Power office to safely remove trees or branches.
Accidental contact with electricity can lead to severe burns, shocks, or even
death."
Earlier, Kenya Power Chief
Executive Officer Joseph Siror had explained that trees growing too close to
power lines contributed to outages by creating short circuits whenever it
rained.
He further added that heavy
downpours highly likely caused a disturbance on the power distribution
lines, leading to short circuits.
"When it rains heavily, it
can cause trees to fall on the line, and it causes a short circuit, thereby
causing a disturbance on the network," Siror explained.
"Sometimes rains are
accompanied by strong winds which have an effect on the conductors and cause a
disturbance."
"Rain does a number of
things. There is the aspect of lightning which is part of the factors but in
certain installations like the poles and pylons and we have a situation where
during heavy rains, some of them are washed away," he added.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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