By Xinhua

Nairobi,Kenya:Kenya has also had to import electricity from Kampala to meet rising domestic demand

Kenya is turning out to be a major exporter of electricity to neighbouring Uganda, despite the fact that the country also imports power from Uganda and Tanzania to meet rising demands.

Latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicates that the country exports an average of 2.98 million kilowatts per hour (KWh) every month to Uganda.

Power exports to Uganda have been on the rise since last year even as Kenya steps up electricity imports from the same nation. As at April, Kenya had exported over 12 million KWh to Uganda.

Economic indicators

This, however, is a drop of about 4 million KWh of power during a similar period last year when Kenya exported 16 million KWh, noted KNBS’ Leading Economic Indicators analysis received yesterday.

In January, Kenya’s power exports to Uganda stood at 2.45 million KWh, from 2.32 million KWh last December.

Electricity exports rose to 2.95 million KWh in February before increasing further to 3.68 million KWh in March, the highest since the beginning of the year. In April, the exports slowed to 2.84 million KWh.

Compared to a similar period last year, Kenya has not performed well during this quarter. In January last year, exports to Uganda stood at 5.7 million KWh, in February 3.7 million KWh, in March 4.4 million KWh and in April 2.1 million KWh.

The data also indicated that since the beginning of the year, Kenya has not exported any power to Tanzania. The last export to the country was made in December last year, when Kenya exported 0.12 million KWh. The only other months Kenya exported power to Tanzania was January, February, March, April and June, a total of 0.10 million KWh each month.

But even as Kenya intensifies its power exports, its imports from its East African Community neighbours has also risen.

Since the start of the year, Uganda has exported over 14.1 million KWh of power to Kenya.

The largest export was made in March, when Kenya imported 3.36 million KWh. Interestingly, this is also the month Kenya made the highest power exports to Uganda at 3.68 million KWh.

In January, Kenya imported 3.47 million KWh of power from Uganda. In February, the import stood at 3.13 million KWh and in April 3.75 million KWh. 

Its imports from Tanzania stand at 0.4 million KWh as at end of April.

Kenya consumes an average of 540 million KWh of electricity each month, according to KNBS, against an average 630 million KWh generated each month. The bulk of the country’s electricity is generated from hydro sources, followed by thermal and geo-thermal.

Demand has been on the rise as the rural electrification programme intensifies and new industries come up. 

As at September last year, Kenya had 2.11 million consumers of electricity connected to the national grid.                                        — Xinhua