• Nearly 90% of Kenya’s electricity comes from renewable sources

• Access to electricity has risen sharply, reaching 79% in 2025

• The growth of solar and wind is creating new grid stability challenges

Kenya’s electricity system is now largely powered by renewable energy, even as rapid expansion begins to strain grid stability, according to a March 2026 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Installed capacity in the country exceeds 3.5 GW. In 2025, geothermal energy accounted for 26% of capacity, followed by hydropower (24%), solar (12%), and wind (12%). Thermal generation made up the remaining 26%.

Renewables play an even larger role in actual electricity production, with close to 90% of supply coming from clean sources.

Access to electricity has expanded significantly over the past decade. The electrification rate rose from 37% in 2013 to 79% in 2025, with urban areas now fully covered. Kenya is targeting universal access by 2030 under its Vision 2030 strategy.

The report, however, points to growing challenges as variable renewable energy—particularly solar and wind—takes a larger share of the mix.

These sources introduce constraints related to grid stability, reliability, and resilience, increasing the need for energy storage systems and improved ancillary services to maintain balance and ensure smooth operation.

According to the IEA, Kenya’s power system is currently in phase three of variable renewable energy integration, a stage where such sources begin to have a noticeable impact on grid operations, especially during periods of high wind generation.

The agency defines six phases of integration, with phases one to three considered manageable through operational improvements. Kenya is expected to remain in this intermediate stage through 2030, even as renewable output continues to influence how the grid is managed.

Abdoullah Diop