Increased theft of electricity transmission equipment could push up the cost of energy as Kenya Power shifts to dry transformers that are less prone to vandalism. Kenya Power Managing Director Joseph Njoroge said the air-cooled transformers are one-and-a-half times more expensive than oil-lubricated ones and require specialised installation services. “The extra costs will be borne by consumers,” Mr Njoroge said. The shock news comes only days after Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) promised consumers that electricity prices would go down after Masinga Dam filled up following heavy rains. The dam would reduce reliance on fuel-generated electricity which is more expensive. Early this week, vandals stole steel braces that strengthen towers on the line supplying power to the main oil pipeline from Nairobi, leading to collapse of two of the towers at Lukenya in Machakos. Kenya Power said the repairs were completed on Wednesday night at a cost of KES30mn. This is the second time this month that steel braces on the high voltage power line that supplies pumping stations along Mombasa Road have been vandalised, sparking shortages of petrol, diesel, and kerosene, after the pipeline had earlier resumed normal operations following a December 2 outage. Since then, it has been building up stocks in Nairobi to cater for anticipated high demand during the festive season. Kenya Power’s request for up to 25 per cent increase in retail tariffs – to reflect high cost of operations and compliance with the Energy Act that was due mid this year – remains suspended. “This is an operational cost for us and it could be reflected at the next tariff review,” Mr. Njoroge told reporters. Within the last decade, Kenya Power says it has lost about Sh6bn in replacement, labour and lost sales translating to a loss of KES11bn to the economy.