Kenyans face higher July electricity bills after EPRA announces new charges
Kenyans face higher July electricity bills after EPRA announces new charges
Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for electricity in July 2026 after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) approved a series of monthly adjustments that add about Ksh5.18 per kilowatt-hour to electricity charges.
In a series of gazette notices dated July 10, EPRA noted that the increase will be mainly driven by higher fuel costs, foreign exchange losses, inflation pressures and water resource levy.
According to the notice, Fuel Energy Cost Charge is the largest component, rising to Ksh3.20 per unit, reflecting the cost of electricity generated using fuel-powered plants.
“PURSUANT to Clause 1 of Part III of the Schedule of Tariffs 2023, notice is given that all prices for electrical energy specified in Part II of the said Schedule will be liable to a fuel energy cost charge of plus 320 Kenya cents per kWh for all meter readings to be taken in July, 2026,” EPRA stated in a notice.
According to the authority, the charge was calculated based on fuel costs incurred in June 2026, when electricity generation included contributions from thermal plants such as Rabai, Iberafrica, and Thika Power. The cost is spread across all electricity consumed.
At the same time, consumers will also pay an additional Ksh1.4841 per unit through the Foreign Exchange Fluctuation Adjustment, which EPRA attributed to exchange rate movements affecting electricity suppliers.
“PURSUANT to Clause 2 of Part III of the Schedule of Tariffs 2023, Notice is given that all prices for Electrical Energy specified in Part II of the said Schedule will be liable to a Foreign Exchange Fluctuation Adjustment of Plus 148.41 Cents per kWh for all meter readings taken in July 2026,” another notice read.
A further Ksh0.48 per unit will be charged through the Inflation Adjustment, which EPRA said was necessary to recover increased operating costs linked to inflation. The adjustment will apply from July to December 2026.
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The Water Resources Management Authority levy adds a smaller increase of 1.57 cents per unit, supporting water resource management associated with hydropower generation.
The combined adjustments mean a consumer using 100 units of electricity in July will pay about Ksh518 more before adding the normal electricity tariff, taxes and other statutory charges.
EPRA indicated that the levy was calculated using electricity purchased from major hydropower plants, including Gitaru, Kiambere, Kamburu, Kindaruma, Masinga, Turkwel, Sondu Miriu and Sang’oro during June.
The fuel charge accounts for the largest change at Ksh3.14 per unit, followed by the forex adjustment at Ksh0.72, bringing the total additional cost to Ksh3.87 per unit on June electricity bills after including the WRMA levy.
The monthly adjustments are separate from the base electricity tariff approved by the regulator and are reviewed every month in line with fuel costs, exchange rate movements and other statutory charges provided for under the tariff schedule.
As a result, the new charges will apply to all electricity consumed during the July billing cycle, meaning households and businesses are likely to notice higher electricity bills compared to months with lower adjustment charges.
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