Kenya's electricity consumption surged during the first half of Financial Year 2024/25, with national utilization climbing from 5,205 GWh to 5,484 GWh year-on-year, according to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority's (EPRA) Biannual Energy and Petroleum Report released in late March.
Nairobi Region Dominates National Consumption
The Nairobi metropolitan region, encompassing Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos, and Makueni counties, led electrical energy consumption at 2,415.44 GWh, compared to 2,293.95 GWh during the same period last year. This represents an increase of 121.49 GWh, with the region accounting for 44.04% of Kenya's total electricity utilization.
Analysts attribute the region's dominance to its dense concentration of industrial facilities, small and medium enterprises, financial institutions, and service sectors including real estate development and construction activities. The clustering of manufacturing plants, warehouses, and major infrastructure such as airports and railway stations further amplifies demand.
Coast and Rift Valley Follow as Electrification Expands
The Coast region secured second position, utilizing 988.21 GWh of electrical energy, up from 930.05 GWh in the prior year's first half. The region contributed 18.02% of national consumption, driven by port operations, tourism infrastructure, and growing urban centers.
Rift Valley consumed 759.42 GWh against 705.48 GWh previously, capturing 13.85% of total usage. The North-Eastern and Mt. Kenya regions accounted for 10.69% and 6.45% respectively, with combined consumption reaching 939.99 GWh. West Kenya and South Nyanza recorded the lowest consumption at 280.78 GWh and 110.69 GWh, representing 5.12% and 1.84% of national totals.
Industrial Consumers Drive Half of National Demand
Industrial customers emerged as the primary electricity consumers nationwide, utilizing 2,807.10 GWh during the six-month review period. This figure, representing 51.18% of total consumption, marks a 101.0 GWh increase from 2,706.10 GWh recorded in the comparable period the previous year. The category encompasses large and medium industries, factories, high-rise buildings, warehouses, and public infrastructure including airports, seaports, and railway stations.
Domestic consumers ranked second, consuming 1,728.19 GWh compared to 1,599.33 GWh previously. Household consumption constituted 31.51% of national usage, reflecting both population growth and expanded grid connectivity across rural areas.
Street lighting accounted for 0.81% of total energy consumption, while the electric mobility segment demonstrated notable expansion. Electric vehicles and motorcycles consumed 1.81 GWh during the period, rising sharply from 0.32 GWh in the prior year—a 1.49 GWh increase highlighting accelerating adoption of electric transportation in Kenya's urban centers.