Murkomen Averts JKIA Blackout With New System That Turns on After 15 Seconds

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced the end of power blackouts at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Murkomen told Kenyans that blackouts at the international airport would be a thing of the past after acquiring an upgraded system that will turn on 15 seconds immediately after an electricity outage.

Speaking after hosting leaders from Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) on Tuesday, December 19, the Transport CS indicated that they replaced the time-based system with a logic-based system that will allow a seamless transition to backup power during blackouts.

Besides upgrading the system, Murkomen announced that manual interventions have also been enabled to fix the issue of blackouts at JKIA.

Additionally, Murkomen reported that the faulty control system had been fixed.

"KAA leadership has assured me that issues of blackouts at JKIA are now a thing of the past after they replaced the time-based system with a logic-based system that will allow a seamless transition to backup power during blackouts," Murkomen stated.

"Manual interventions have also been put in place, faulty control systems rectified, cabling systems expanded, and inverters installed to avert blackouts at the airport by allowing a 15-second transition time," he added.

Murkomen's reaction followed three incidences of power blackouts that left passengers stranded at JKIA. In the first instance, Murkomen announced a leadership shakeup at the international airport.

In the third incident, Murkomen wrote to Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome citing acts of sabotage.

The leadership is however still implementing recommendations shared by a task force constituted by the CS to address JKIA problems.

Other upgrades on the pipeline include making another terminal, fixing the leaking roofs, fixing the security check-up systems, constructing shades and building a proper drainage system.