EPRA Presents 2026 Energy Sector Report, Highlights Growth in Electricity Demand and Renewable Energy

Story by Evans Mutinda 

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) today at Sarova Stanley Hotel led by John Mutua Director for economic planning has presented the 2026 Energy Sector Report, highlighting key developments in Kenya’s electricity, petroleum and renewable energy sectors.
The report provides an overview of the performance of the energy sector during the 2025 reporting period, covering electricity generation and consumption, petroleum supply and demand, renewable energy development, energy efficiency and regulatory interventions.
Presenting the report, EPRA officials acknowledged the work of the board, committee and technical team involved in preparing the publication, noting that the report had been expanded from its previous format to provide more comprehensive information on developments within the sector.
The report comes at a time when Kenya’s energy demand continues to grow, driven by increasing household consumption, commercial activity and industrial development.
Electricity demand increases
According to the report, Kenya recorded a peak electricity demand of 2,316.2 megawatts (MW) on February 12, 2025, representing a 6.38 per cent increase compared with the previous financial year.
Electricity generation also increased during the period under review, rising from 13,684.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 14,472 GWh.
The growth in electricity demand highlights the need for continued investment in generation capacity, transmission infrastructure and distribution networks to ensure the country can meet its growing energy requirements.
Large commercial and industrial consumers remained the largest category of electricity users, accounting for about 49.61 per cent of national electricity consumption.
Household electricity consumption also increased, with domestic use registering a 13.03 per cent rise during the reporting period.
Renewable energy remains a major source of electricity
The report further highlights Kenya’s continued reliance on renewable energy sources.
Renewable sources accounted for more than 80 per cent of Kenya’s electricity generation mix during the period under review.
Geothermal power remained the largest contributor, accounting for 39.51 per cent of electricity generation, followed by hydroelectric power at 24.21 per cent.
Wind energy contributed 13.18 per cent, while utility-scale solar accounted for 3.27 per cent.
The figures demonstrate the important role of renewable energy in Kenya’s electricity supply and the country’s continued transition towards cleaner sources of power.
Petroleum consumption rises
The petroleum subsector also recorded growth during the reporting period.
Petroleum imports increased by 7.70 per cent to approximately 9.76 million cubic metres, while domestic petroleum consumption increased by 6.94 per cent to about 5.84 million cubic metres.
Pipeline throughput serving the transit market also increased by 11.37 per cent to approximately 4.05 million cubic metres.
The developments point to continued demand for petroleum products both within Kenya and across the regional market.
LPG uptake continues to grow
The report also highlights an increase in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) consumption.
LPG demand increased to approximately 414,861 metric tonnes in 2024, compared with 360,594 metric tonnes in 2023.
The growth comes amid efforts to increase access to LPG and encourage households and institutions to adopt cleaner cooking solutions.
The government and energy sector stakeholders have continued to pursue measures aimed at strengthening LPG infrastructure, improving accessibility and supporting wider adoption of the fuel.
Focus on energy efficiency
Energy efficiency remains another key area highlighted in the report.
The Energy (Energy Management) Regulations, 2025, introduced new requirements for designated energy-consuming facilities.
The regulations provide for measures including energy audits, implementation of energy conservation measures and establishment of energy performance benchmarks.
The measures are aimed at encouraging industries and other large energy consumers to identify opportunities for reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity.
Regional electricity trade
The report also highlights Kenya’s growing role in regional electricity trade.
Among the major infrastructure developments is the completion of the 210-kilometre, 400-kilovolt Kenya-Tanzania transmission line in December 2024.
The interconnection is expected to support cross-border electricity exchange and strengthen regional power integration.
Kenya continues to pursue electricity trade and interconnection with neighbouring countries as part of efforts to strengthen energy security and make better use of available generation resources across the region.
Outlook for the energy sector
Looking ahead, the report points to continued investment in renewable energy, expansion of electricity infrastructure, increased LPG adoption, improved energy efficiency and greater regional electricity trade.
The energy sector is expected to remain critical to Kenya’s economic development, with rising demand requiring continued investment in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The presentation of the report also underscored the importance of accurate and comprehensive energy statistics in guiding government policy, investment decisions and regulatory planning.
EPRA said the expanded report reflects the contribution of the technical team and stakeholders involved in compiling and analysing information from across the energy sector.
The Energy Sector Report therefore provides a broad picture of Kenya’s energy landscape, highlighting both the growth recorded during the reporting period and the infrastructure and regulatory measures required to support future demand.