Epra banks on key Bills to streamline energy sector

Participants follow the proceedings during public communication workshop on the draft energy regulations at Royal Court Hotel in Mombasa, on March 21, 2025. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) is fast-tracking three key Bills that are expected to address the frequent power outage and safety issues in the country.

Epra Director of Electricity and Renewable Energy Joseph Oketch said the Bills would streamline the electricity sector and enhance efficiency, reliability and safety.

The proposed laws are the Draft Energy (Systems Operations) Regulations Bill, 2025; the Draft Energy (Electricity Reliability, Quality of Supply and Service) Regulations Bill, 2025; and the Draft Energy (Electricity Incident and Accident Reporting) Regulations Bill, 2025.

The regulator has also called on corporate entities to clear pending power bills to enable Kenya Power to improve electricity supply in the country. Eng Oketch said it was unfortunate that some large consumers were starving Kenya Power of revenue due to pending power bills.

"Let's pay our bills. Kenya Power buys electricity from generators and expects to sell at a profit. The large consumers need to pay their pending bills to enable Kenya Power to improve the supply of electricity. We do not want Kenya Power to come down because of unpaid bills," he said.

He emphasized that efficient power supply depends on production, saying that experts are giving their input on how to address the current challenges.

Recently, Kenya Power and Nairobi County locked horns over pending electricity bills, forcing City Hall to dump garbage outside Stima Plaza.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja later issued a public apology over the incident and announced that some officials had faced disciplinary action.

Oketch spoke on the sidelines of a public participation meeting with experts in the energy sector on Monday in Mombasa.

He explained that the Bills will make Kenya Power more responsible for electricity infrastructure, including the poles that sometimes take too long to be replaced, endangering Kenyans lives.

"Power faults sometimes cause deaths and the destruction of property. The Bills seek to ensure safe operation and responsible management of the electricity in the country," he said.

Oketch revealed that the Bills also provide for how incidents and accidents should be promptly reported in the country.