Kenya Power Monopoly: New Law Bars KPLC Customers from Dealing with Other Electricity Distributors

 

Existing Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) customers will not be allowed to subscribe to other electricity distributors. Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir speaking at a past event.  This followed a move by the government to amend the Energy (Electricity Market, Bulk Supply and Open Access) Regulations, which ends KPLC's monopoly. Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir gazetted the Energy (Electricity Market, Bulk Supply and Open Access) Regulations, 2024 allowing other players to distribute power across the country. How many power consumers will be tied to KPLC? According to the new laws, over 9.4 million current KPLC customers will be tied to the utility firm. The new regulations do not clearly define when the customers will be allowed to decamp to the other distributors, Business Daily reported. Section 145(4) of the Act states that; "a distributing firm may supply a consumer provided that the said consumer has no existing contract for the supply of electrical energy with any other licensee,” "a consumer shall choose his retail supplier provided that the said consumer shall not have two supply contracts for the same premises.” The regulations allow Kenya Power to allow other distributors to use their transmission lines for a fee to reach customers. The move allows Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to sell their electricity directly to Kenyans. 

by  Wycliffe Musalia