Electricity costs in Kenya are expected to increase this December following the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (EPRA) decision to raise the water levy.
In an official notice dated Friday, December 13, 2024, the government announced an additional charge of Sh1.35 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on electricity bills.
The hike stems from an increase in the levy collected by the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA).
“Pursuant to Clause 5 of Part III of the Schedule of Tariffs 2023, notice is given that all prices for electrical energy specified in Part II-(A) of the said Schedule will be liable to a Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA) levy of plus 1.35 cents per kWh for all meter readings taken in December 2024,” the notice read.
The charge is calculated based on energy purchased from hydropower plants with a capacity of 1 megawatt (MW) or more.
The approved WRMA levy rate is Sh5.00 per kWh, leading to increased electricity prices.
Domestic consumers using more than 100 kWh per month pay Sh28.57 per kWh. With the new levy, this cost will increase to Sh29.92 per kWh.
Hydropower plants contributed significantly to the country’s electricity supply, producing a total of 267,313,330 kWh in November 2024.
Gitaru Hydropower Plant led with 53,577,610 kWh, followed by Kiambere with 60,275,300 kWh and Kamburu with 8,318,350 kWh.
Other contributors include Kindaruma, Masinga, Tana, Turkwel, and Sondu Miriu, among others.
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