The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Electricity consumers will face higher costs in October after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced new monthly adjustments, including a fuel energy charge of Sh3.22 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The adjustments also include a foreign exchange fluctuation charge of 87 cents per unit and a water resource management levy of 1.34 cents per kWh. Together, the additional charges come to about Sh4.10 for every unit consumed.
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In a notice dated Friday, October 9, EPRA said the foreign exchange adjustment would apply to meter readings taken in September 2026, while the fuel energy cost and the water levy would apply to October readings. Under the 2023 Schedule of Tariffs, all electricity prices attract the levy of 1.34 cents per kWh for October readings, the regulator said.
The charges will affect households and businesses in line with their consumption, for both prepaid tokens and postpaid billing.
The fuel energy cost covers the expense of power from thermal plants and imported electricity, which makes production costs sensitive to fuel price changes. The water resource management levy is meant to cover the cost of managing water resources used in hydropower generation. The foreign exchange adjustment reflects exchange-rate movements, since power purchase agreements and other costs may be denominated in currencies such as the US dollar, and changes in the shilling’s value affect what suppliers pay. These costs are passed on to consumers through monthly charges.
EPRA also reported that Kenya bought about 304.82 million kWh of electricity from hydropower plants of at least one megawatt in September 2026. The facilities included Gitaru, Kamburu, Kiambere, Kindaruma, Masinga and Turkwel.
Although each charge may look small, their combined effect raises the cost of every unit used. Households with higher consumption will see bigger increases in their monthly bills, while energy-intensive businesses will face higher operating costs. The announcement comes as EPRA continues to apply monthly adjustments to account for fuel costs, exchange-rate movements and other approved charges.
