Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Davis Chirchir has revealed a major reason for the five-year increase in electricity prices.
Chirchir explained that the country resorted to using diesel to boost power generation during an inspection of a geothermal power plant in Menengai.
He noted that hydroelectric power generation, which was less expensive, had dropped by more than half during the same time period.
“In the last five years, hydroelectricity has been fairly poor, and while we are supposed to deliver 30% of the power at USD4 cents, we have only delivered 11%.”
“We’ve been supplementing the grid with diesel generation to provide power security, and that’s what’s been hurting,” the CS explained.
Diesel prices have risen both locally and internationally over the last five years as market prices for scarce crude oil have fluctuated.
The high demand for fuel during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the Ukrainian-Russian conflict and sanctions, caused barrel prices to rise.
Chirchir stated that there was a need to investigate other power generation forms, such as geothermal, due to the country’s ongoing, unpredictable weather patterns.
The country’s decreased rainfall has raised concerns about a possible electricity shortage in the aftermath of multiple blackouts.
