• Kenya plans to replace 20,000 transformers as part of a 4.3 billion KSh ($33 million) investment.

• The project aims to reduce outages and improve grid reliability, especially in rural areas.

• Kenya’s electricity tariffs remain higher than neighboring countries, impacting affordability.

Kenya faces a challenge: about 25% of its population, mostly in rural areas, still lacks electricity. The government targets universal access to electricity and clean cooking solutions by 2030.

Ranked joint first with Senegal in the African Development Bank’s 2024 Electricity Regulatory Index, Kenya announced on July 3 a plan to replace 20,000 transformers. This initiative forms part of a 4.3 billion Kenyan shilling (approximately $33 million) investment to cut power outages and boost grid reliability, particularly in underserved regions.

The project relies on the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (EPRA) institutional framework for technical monitoring and fault detection. It also builds on the Last Mile Connectivity Project, a government-led effort to expand electricity access.

The government has not set a specific timeline for rolling out the transformer replacements. However, the initiative falls within the 2025–2026 fiscal year, which began on July 1. The Ministry of Energy reports that equipment procurement is underway, signaling a phased deployment in the coming months.

Kenya stands out as one of the few African countries with electricity sector regulation backed by operational measures nationwide. Still, the impact on everyday households leaves room for improvement.

Kenya’s average residential electricity tariff stands at about 31.25 Kenyan shillings per kWh ($0.24), according to GlobalPetrolPrices. This rate exceeds those in Uganda ($0.17) and Ethiopia ($0.05) for example.

Abdel-Latif Boureima