Kenya Power & Lighting Company Plc (KPLC) hired 1,154 employees, including 435 engineers, in the year ended June 2026, its largest annual recruitment drive as the electricity distributor expands its network and adds customers. The hiring marks the third consecutive year of workforce growth as the utility works to close longstanding staffing gaps.

The recruitment more than doubled the 490 employees hired a year earlier and exceeded the 836 recruited in the year ended June 2024. Kenya Power had 10,582 employees as of June 2025 and is implementing a phased three-year recruitment plan focused on critical technical skills, succession planning and service delivery.

The utility’s staffing push comes as many companies contend with higher operating costs and weaker business conditions. Kenya Power has also faced significant employee attrition: 2,234 staff left in the five years to June 2024, while another 488 were expected to exit by June 2025, increasing pressure on the remaining workforce.

Engineers fill critical gaps

Engineering talent is a particular priority. Joseph Siror, Kenya Power’s managing director, said the company had experienced sustained losses of engineers through retirement and overseas study, leaving a gap that recent recruitment has only partly addressed. The new hires are intended to strengthen technical capacity as the utility upgrades and expands its network.

Siror said Kenya Power had recruited a significant number of engineers to mitigate losses accumulated over the past five years, although the intake does not fully replace those who have left. More than 85% of the company’s workforce is deployed in technical and customer-facing roles, according to the utility.

Kenya Power serves more than 10.4 million customers and operates a grid stretching over 328,000 kilometers. The workforce expansion therefore comes alongside rising demand for connections, maintenance and customer services. During the year ended June 2026, the company added 411,710 customers, helping push electricity sales 12.05% higher to 12,777 GWh.

The hiring drive also coincided with a stronger financial year. Kenya Power reported a profit after tax of KSh24.99 billion ($193 million) for the year ended June 2026, up 2.13% from KSh24.47 billion a year earlier. Revenue increased 8.6% to KSh238.24 billion ($1.84 billion), according to the company.

Profit gives room to invest

Finance costs fell 34.68% to KSh3.08 billion ($23.78 million), helped by lower interest expenses as outstanding loan balances declined. Total assets rose to KSh421.49 billion ($3.25 billion), strengthening its financial position as network investment continues.

Kenya Power has also used employee benefits to support recruitment and retention. The utility introduced a fully funded car and mortgage loan facility at a subsidized 3% interest rate last year, adding to efforts to attract and retain technical professionals in a market where skilled engineers remain difficult to replace.

Founded in 1922 and listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Kenya Power is responsible for electricity distribution and retail supply across Kenya.

The latest hiring comes as Kenya Power invests in grid automation, network reinforcement and additional distribution capacity. The company said system efficiency improved to 81.42% in the 2025/26 financial year from 78.79% a year earlier. The combination of additional staff, infrastructure investment and stronger finances will shape its ability to serve a growing customer base.