KNBS: Electricity exports dropped by 10.8 million KWh in April
By Nancy Marende, June 30, 2025Kenya’s electricity exports declined in April 2025, dropping from 10.8 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in March to 9.0 million kWh.
According to the Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) report for April 2025, released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on Monday, June 30, 2025, local electricity generation decreased from 1,116.3 million kWh in March to 1,074.1 million kWh in April.
Despite the overall dip, geothermal energy remained the leading source of electricity, contributing 479.7 million kWh in April. Hydroelectric production followed, generating 293.7 million kWh, a 7.1% increase from 274.3 million kWh in March.
Total electricity generation and imports combined declined from 1,237.1 million kWh in March to 1,205.8 million kWh in April.
However, during the same period, imports of electricity rose from 120.8 million kWh to 131.6 million kWh, indicating a higher reliance on imported power to meet domestic demand.
“During the same period, KPLC’s total sales increased from 932.3 million kWh to 933.3 million kWh. Electricity exports decreased from 10.8 million kWh in March 2025 to 9.0 million kWh in April 2025, while imports rose from 120.8 million kWh to 131.6 million kWh,” the report revealed.
EPRA
The report comes a few months after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) revealed that Kenya’s electricity imports rose by 79.4 per cent from 419.13 gigawatt-hours to 751.95 gigawatt-hours in the six months of the year to December 2024.
Furthermore, EPRA reported that the additional imports covered the increase in electricity demand during the period and the decline in geothermal power generation during the same period.
“Electricity imports accounted for 10.41 per cent of total consumption in the current period, up from 6.16 per cent in the previous financial year. This increase is primarily due to the full commercial operation of electricity imports from Ethiopia. Additionally, on 13th December 2024, energy exchange with Tanzania commenced, marking an important milestone in enhancing regional interconnectivity within the East African Community (EAC),” said Kiptoo Bargoria, EPRA Director General.
EPRA expects additional electricity imports from Tanzania to be facilitated by the Isinya-Arusha-Singida 400 kV line, which was commissioned in December last year, as full commercial operation of the line under the exchange agreement is yet to begin.