Electricity distributor Kenya Power and Lighting Company has urged households and businesses across the country to unlock their gates and meter boxes to allow technicians access as it rolls out a new digital meter-reading system aimed at eliminating manual billing errors.
In a notice issued on Monday, March 9, the utility said many of its technicians have been unable to capture electricity readings because meters are located inside locked compounds or sealed boxes, slowing down the nationwide rollout of a new Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.
The new system replaces the traditional method where meter readers manually record electricity readings. Instead, field staff will now use mobile devices to scan the meter display, allowing consumption data to be captured and transmitted instantly to the billing system.
According to Kenya Power, the technology improves the speed, accuracy, and consistency of billing, reducing the chances of errors that often occur when numbers are typed manually.
“Locked premises and meter boxes are currently the main challenge affecting meter reading as we roll out the new system. Customers are therefore requested to allow our staff access to electricity meters within their premises,” the company said in the notice.
The OCR technology uses a device camera to capture numbers directly from both digital and traditional mechanical meters, enabling field teams to record readings in seconds while eliminating paperwork and handwritten logs that previously slowed the process.
Kenya Power says the upgrade is part of a broader digital transformation programme designed to modernise operations, improve billing transparency and enhance customer experience.
The technology was first introduced in Nairobi in November 2025 before being expanded to other parts of the country. The rollout targets nearly two million postpaid electricity meters nationwide.
The company believes scanning meters directly into the system will help reduce disputes over estimated bills, a common complaint among customers who rely on accurate monthly electricity statements.
Customers have also been advised to verify the identity of visiting technicians before granting access.
Kenya Power said all staff visiting homes and business premises will carry official identification cards bearing their employee number and national identification details.
The move signals a major shift in how electricity consumption is recorded across the country as the utility steps up efforts to digitise its billing systems and improve efficiency in power distribution.
