The utilization of electrical energy across the country grew from over 5,205 GWh to 5,484 GWh during the first half of this financial year compared to a similar period last year According to the Energy and Regulatory Authority’s (EPRA), Biannual Energy and Petroleum Report released by end of March, Nairobi region led in the consumption of electrical energy, utilizing 2,415.44 GWh compared to 2,293.95GWh last year.
The consumption reflects an increase by 121. 49 GWh. The region accounted for 44.04% of total electrical energy utilization in the country. Nairobi region includes Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Makueni counties. The region is high energy consuming because it has a high concentration of industrial, SME, financial and service sectors that include real estate and construction activities.
The Coast region ranked second in energy consumption, utilizing 988.21 GWh, which constituted 18.02% of the country's total energy consumption. This is also an improvement from 930.05 GWh of electrical energy utilized in the first half of the previous financial year.
The Rift Valley region utilized 759.42 GWh of electrical energy as compared to 705.48 GWh of electrical energy utilized in a similar period in the previous financial year. The region accounted for 13.85% of the total consumption. The North-Eastern and Mt. Kenya regions accounted for 10.69% and 6.45% of the overall consumption utilizing 586.09GWh and 353.90GWh respectively.
The region comprises Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Kitui, Thika and parts of Machakos. The West Kenya and South Nyanza regions recorded the lowest electricity consumption at 280.78 GWh and 110.69 GWh, accounting for 5.12% and 1.84% of total consumption, respectively.
Electricity Consumption by Category In Kenya, industrial consumers are the primary consumers of electrical energy. The industrial consumers comprise large and medium industries, factories, high-rise buildings, warehouses and public infrastructure such as airports, ports, and railway stations.
The report indicates that, in the half year under review, the category consumed 2,807.10 GWh, accounting for 51.18% of the country’s total consumption. This represents a 101.0GWh increase in consumption compared to 2,706.10GWh of electrical energy consumed in a similar period last year signaling an increase in industrial activities.
The report shows that domestic consumers were second highest category consuming 1,728.19 GWh up from 1,599.33GWh in a similar period last year. The utilisesation represents 31.51% of total energy consumption and an increase from 30.76% in a similar period in the previous financial year.
Street lighting, according to the report, accounted for 0.81% of total energy consumption during the period. Consumption in the electric mobility category, which includes electric vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 1.49 GWh, reaching 1.81 GWh during the review period, up from 0.32 GWh in a similar period in the last financial year.
This growth highlights the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and motorcycles. The category accounted for 0.03% of total energy consumption. Table 2.2 and Figure 2.7 summarize energy consumption across customer categories.