You haven’t seen anything yet as RUTO is set to increase electricity tariffs by up to 117% – Look!

 

Thursday, January 26, 2023 – Life under President William Ruto is bound to get even more difficult for the hustlers.

This is after the government mooted plans to increase electricity prices after the review of power prices.

The government is planning to increase electricity tariffs by up to 117%; something that may be detrimental to poor households.

In October last year, Kenya Power made a tariff review application to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for higher energy charge tariffs that will be in place for the next three years.

The new tariffs are expected to take effect on April 1.

The utility has for years pushed for a review of the current power tariffs arguing that its revenue requirements have grown sharply despite revenues from electricity remaining the same, forcing it to rely on increasing sales.

“In order to achieve this broad mandate, there is a need for an electricity retail tariff that is just and reasonable to allow Kenya Power Company to maintain its financial integrity, attract capital, operate efficiently and compensate investors for risks assumed,” said the company.

“The rationale of this retail tariff review is to incorporate change in electricity sub-sector cost structure and update key assumptions with an aim of providing adequate sector revenue requirements,” it said.

EPRA has now scheduled public participation for scrutiny of the tariff in which the utility has proposed the introduction of a new tariff of Sh14 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for customers who use less than 30 units of power monthly.

It also wants to introduce a tariff of Sh21.68/kWh for those who use more than 30 units monthly.

In the current tariff, customers who use less than 100 units per month pay Sh10/kWh and those who use more than that amount pay Sh15.8 per unit.