High power cost eats into EPZ firms' profit

Cumulatively, firms operating in different EPZs across the country, Mr Gacheru said in a presentation, paid Sh947 million for power last year, compared to Sh772 million in 2017. [Courtesy]

High operating costs last year significantly eroded the earnings of firms operating in the Economic Processing Zones (EPZs), a State agency has said.

Among the items that registered a major spike for the companies, according to the EPZ Authority Chairman Paul Gacheru, included power costs, which rose 22.7 per cent mainly on the back of a prolonged dry spell.