Gov't challenged to explore other energy sources

Electricity Consumers Society of Kenya has said that the high electricity tariffs that continue to impoverish Kenyans.

The societies Executive Director Isaac Ndereva notes that the government should explore newer energy sources such as wind power or solar.

Speaking on the sidelines of a public participation exercise by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, he said Kenyans have been complaining about the high cost of tariffs calling on the government to cushion Kenyans from such.

“98% of our power comes from hydroelectric and this is risky. For example during the dry seasons we have to undergo constant rationing and the high cost of Electricity which has continued to soar

Already Laikipia woman representative Jane Kagiri In a notice motion, Kagiri has faulted Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) for buying large quantities of power from IPPs at exorbitant prices.

Instead, she argues that charges would have been lower if the utility company had bought electricity from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).

“Kenya Power has in the past procured a larger quantity of power from the IPPs at a greater cost, rather than from KenGen, leading to higher cost of power; cognizant of the fact that, there is need to put in place policies, strategies and regulatory measures for better planning to moderate the cost of electricity and enable access to energy by all particularly in the manufacturing sector to ease the cost of production and doing business,” Kagiri says.

KPLC has proposed a new tariff for domestic consumers that will see power charges rise by between 13 and 20 percent.

Consumers with a life-line consumption band of below 30 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will pay Sh20.5 per unit, up from the current Sh18.14, representing a 13 percent jump.

Out of the Sh20.5, Sh14 is the consumption charge, meaning Sh6.5 is on taxes and levies.

The MP wants the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy to investigate Kenya Power’s agreements with IPPs and stop new IPP contracts, among others.

“The Departmental Committee on Energy undertakes an inquiry into the operations of Kenya Power in relation to agreements entered into with IPPs, factors affecting the cost of electricity, including over-reliance on IPPs against available renewable and other energy sources, and measures to reduce it and submits a report to the House within one hundred and twenty (120) days.”