Kenya electricity consumption has hit a new peak demand of 2,362.28MW on Wednesday driven by higher consumption by industries, domestic users and increased urbanisation.
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) says geothermal and hydropower delivered the lion’s share of energy to the system, contributing significantly to stabilising supply and preventing outages.
Data by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) show that KenGen generated 13,678.35MWh of geothermal power equivalent to 31.85pc of power supplied to the grid while hydropower stations delivered 10,915.93MWh, or 25.42pc.
“We are committed to supplying steady and reliable baseload power to light our homes and drive Kenya’s industrialisation. This is why in our 10-year G2G strategy, we are working to deliver 1,500MW of electricity all from renewable sources including geothermal, hydro, wind and solar,” said ” said Peter Njenga, KenGen chief executive officer.
According to KenGen, the two renewable sources of power accounted for 57pc of Kenya’s daily electricity generation highlighting its quest to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable power.
“While the total energy demand for the day stood at 42,943.11MWh, including thermal sources, wind, and interconnectors with Uganda and Ethiopia supplemented generation, we are glad to note that it was KenGen’s steady delivery from indigenous resources that ensured grid stability,” added Njenga.
Of the electricity delivered through hydro sources, Kiambere produced 2,908 MWh which 23.31pc above dispatch projections. Other major hydros like Gitaru, Kamburu, and Masinga also supported system operations despite flow variability in the cascading river system, KenGen said.
KenGen says during the period, transmission lines such as Muhoroni-Chemosit and KisumuMuhoroni exceeded 120% capacity, highlighting the need for urgent infrastructure reinforcement to keep pace with surging demand.
