The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) in Kenya has published new regulations governing solar energy consumers connected to Kenya Power's distribution network. These regulations, which came into effect on July 1, 2025, were published under Gazette Notice No. 15188 on September 18, 2026, and were signed by Acting Director-General Joseph Oketch. The changes aim to provide a clear framework for solar energy users and update billing conditions for domestic and commercial customers.
The new provisions define a net metering consumer as any customer who generates electricity from a renewable source for self-consumption and exports the surplus to the grid under an approved arrangement. To qualify, the installed capacity should not exceed 1 MW. Such consumers will receive a credit equivalent to 50% of the electrical energy they export to Kenya Power's distribution network. This credit will be applied against the energy supplied by the company before the final bill is calculated.
EPRA has also introduced a specific definition for "dumping," which covers the unauthorized injection of electricity from a consumer's generating system into Kenya Power's network without the company's approval or a valid net metering agreement. Any energy classified as dumped will be charged at the applicable base tariff. The company or the authority may pursue further action under existing laws if the dumping causes injury or damage to equipment.
The new regulations also formalize automatic movement between tariff tiers for domestic and small commercial customers. This movement is based on each consumer's three-month moving average consumption, including the current billing cycle. A consumer will automatically be assigned to the tariff category corresponding to their applicable three-month moving average consumption. This change affects the number of units consumers get when they purchase power tokens from Kenya Power.
Domestic consumers are divided into three categories: DC1 (Lifeline) for those consuming up to 30 kWh, DC2 (Ordinary) for consumption between 30 and 100 kWh, and DC3 (Ordinary) for consumption between 100 and 15,000 kWh. A similar tiered structure applies to small commercial customers, categorized as SC1, SC2, and SC3 using identical consumption thresholds.
For electric mobility consumers, the amended tariff sets an energy charge of KSh 16.00 per unit for standard consumption and KSh 8.00 per unit for supply metered during off-peak hours. Industrial and large commercial customers operating at 100% production capacity during both on-peak and off-peak periods are eligible for a 5% discount on the applicable off-peak energy rate, subject to satisfactory confirmation by Kenya Power.
The amendments also revised the specific fuel consumption figure for the Muhoroni Gas Turbine I and II to 0.324 kg per unit purchased and updated the approved geothermal steam charge rate to USD 0.029 per kWh. These changes reflect the ongoing efforts of EPRA to update and refine the regulatory framework for the energy sector in Kenya.
Key points
- EPRA introduces new rules for solar energy users connected to Kenya Power's distribution network.
- The regulations update billing conditions for domestic and commercial customers.
- The changes aim to provide a clear framework for solar energy users and promote efficient energy consumption.
