Epra says over 700,000 new customers connected to national electricity grid

Kenya Power technicians laying power lines in Imara Daima, Nairobi, in January 2021. [David Gichuru, Standard] The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) says 700,000 new customers were connected to the electricity grid in the last financial year. This brings the total number of customers currently connected to electricity in the country to 8.92 million, according to the report signed by Epra Director General Daniel Kiptoo. The report shows that 87 per cent of the energy generated last year was obtained from renewable energy sources such as geothermal and wind. According to the data, the rise in the number of customers was attributed to rural electrification and the Last Mile Connectivity Programme aimed at improving electricity access in urban and rural areas. "During the review year, 703,331 new customers were connected, bringing the cumulative number of connected customers to 8,919,584," read the report in part. The report further indicated that the 2021-22 financial year was characterised by the economic recovery from the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, with gross domestic product expanding by 7.5 per cent in 2021. Epra noted that the economic recovery was mainly driven by the resumption of most economic activities after the lifting of the Covid-19 containment measures. In the electricity sub-sector, the economic recovery was at a 3.2 per cent increase in peak demand to 2,056.67 megawatts (MW) from the 1,993.63 MW recorded in the previous financial year. Renewable sources The regulator noted that due to investments made in developing the renewable energy sub-sector, 86.98 per cent of the energy generated was obtained from renewable sources. The report noted that contribution from solar energy increased by 120MW, following the addition of 40MW from the Cedate Solar power plant, 40MW from the Selenkei Solar power plant and 40MW from Malindi Solar Power Plant. "On the other hand, geothermal installed capacity increased by 86MW generated from Olkaria 1 unit 6," it said. Four new power plants were added to the national grid during the same period. These are the 86MW Olkaria I unit 6, 40MW Cedate Solar and the 40MW Selenkei Solar power plants in Uasin Gishu County and 40MW Malindi Solar. The report noted that with an installed capacity of 949.13 MW, geothermal now accounts for 30.87 per cent of the total installed capacity, up from 849MW in June 2021. The installed solar power capacity increased to 5.53 per cent up from 3.04 per cent in the same period. "Thermal power electricity installed capacity reduced from 748.7 MW in 2021 to 646.32 MW in 2022 following the retirement of Tsavo Power whose power purchase contract had lapsed," the report said. Further, the number of petroleum products imported into the country for local use increased from 4.99 million cubic metres in the previous financial year to 5.54 million cubic metres. "The demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) maintained an upward trend with consumption hitting 373,865 metric tonnes in 2021," said the report. Epra said the increased demand for LPG consumption was a positive indicator of the shift towards the adoption of clean cooking energy sources.

Epra says over 700,000 new customers connected to national electricity grid

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