Kenya’s power imports from Ethiopia up in H1

NAIROBI, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) — Kenya’s electricity imports from Ethiopia rose 88 percent in the first six months (H1) of 2024 as compared to a similar period in 2023, as the East African nation sought cheaper hydropower, the national statistics bureau said in a report Friday.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) said the country imported 672.26 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power from Ethiopia during the six months, an increase from 357.44 million kWh a year ago.
The imports have been on the rise, growing from a low of 20 million kWh a month in 2023 to a high of 122 million kWh per month in 2024.
According to KNBS, supply from Ethiopia makes the bulk of the power imports for Kenya, with imports from Uganda registering a decline to 106.07 million kWh in the six months, from 141.23 million kWh in a similar period in 2023.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya noted in a recent report that Ethiopia became the main supplier because of its cheap hydroelectric power.
Kenya has built a 500-kilovolt interconnector line to facilitate power imports, accelerating regional power trade. The country’s electricity consumers stand at about 10 million, with the number having doubled in the past years as demand rises, according to Kenya Power, the country’s main electricity distributor.
Kenya’s installed power capacity stands at 3,321 megawatts, with the country diversifying its production of electricity from geothermal, solar and wind sources. ■