Listed utility supplier, Kenya Power, has started rolling out a new meter reading system that uses Optical Character Recognition(OCR) to speed up data collection and reduce human error.
- •The company says the shift will help improve billing accuracy for 1.8 million postpaid meters that depend on monthly manual readings.
- •The rollout follows a six month pilot done in Nairobi starting March 2025 and now Kenya Power will deploy the system across all eight regions.
- •The company also said that it has deployed smart meters for large power users, SMEs and selected domestic accounts.
Commercial Cycle Manager Richard Wida says the change removes manual typing, which has been a major source of slow processes and reading mistakes.
"With the OCR system, the meter reader will just be required to scan the meter, and the system will pick the meter readings automatically. This will save time and eliminate human error that is likely to occur if the meter reader manually types the readings."
Said Wida
KPLC wants the new system to cut billing anomalies that fuel customer complaints and the company says automation is central to improving reliability and strengthening operations.
