Kenya Power has unveiled a new meter-reading system that uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology in a bid to enhance the accuracy and speed of capturing electricity consumption data.
The company announced on Monday, November 24, 2025, that the digital solution has been deployed across all eight operational regions following a successful six-month pilot carried out in Nairobi between March and September.
The new system replaces the long-used manual method, where staff keyed in meter numbers and readings by hand. With OCR, meter readers simply scan the display, and the device automatically captures the correct figures.
Richard Wida, the Commercial Cycle Manager at Kenya Power, said the shift is expected to significantly reduce billing errors and shorten the time taken to collect monthly readings from postpaid customers.
“Technology continues to shape how we serve our customers. By automating meter reading, we are improving both accuracy and efficiency,” Wida said, adding that the new process will eliminate common mistakes associated with manual data entry.
Kenya Power plans to extend the technology to all 1.8 million postpaid meters that still require physical visits for monthly billing. The utility company has long faced customer complaints about inaccurate bills, many of which were linked to misread or incorrectly recorded meter data.
The firm says the OCR rollout is part of its broader digital transformation agenda, which also includes self-service platforms such as the Mypower App and the *977# USSD service. These platforms currently allow customers to check their bills, report power outages, and submit manual readings.
Kenya Power intends to integrate OCR into customer self-reading options in the future.
“We want customers to eventually scan their own meters easily and without errors,” Wida said.
The company has also been scaling up the use of smart meters for large industries, SMEs, and selected households. These devices enable two-way communication, allowing Kenya Power to read meters remotely and carry out disconnections or reconnections without visiting the premises.
The introduction of OCR marks another significant step in modernising Kenya Power’s operations. The company expects the new system to improve billing accuracy, streamline operations, and enhance overall customer satisfaction as full implementation gets underway.
