This archive report was first published on 29 October 2019.
Kenya's power sector is facing a crisis, with the country importing more electricity than ever before. According to recent reports, Kenya increased its electricity imports by 63.7 percent in the first eight months of the year, a stark contrast to the country's status as a power surplus nation.
Despite generating hundreds of gigawatt hours of greener and cheaper geothermal power in Naivasha, the State has yet to connect the source to the national grid. This has left the country relying on expensive and unreliable diesel-fired generators, such as the Sh35-per-unit Muhoroni plant.
However, the situation is set to change with the importation of hydro power from Uganda and Ethiopia. Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter has revealed that the imports come at half the price of the diesel-fired generators, with Uganda cutting its power price from Sh22 per unit to Sh14 and planning to lower it further to just Sh10 by the end of the month.
While the short-term benefits of importing power may seem appealing, the long-term implications are far more concerning. Hydroelectric power is weather-dependent, and Kenya cannot rely on good rains to guarantee a stable power supply. Furthermore, the 80kV power transmission line connecting Western Kenya to the hydro-power stations is woefully inadequate to meet the region's growing demand.
Therefore, the ministry must move with speed to complete the 300-kilometre high-voltage power transmission line it has been working on for years. Only then can Kenya resolve the twin problems of power cost and outages in Western Kenya.
