This report provides a comprehensive account of the status of the electricity utility in Kenya. In doing so it analyzes the gaps in Kenya's electricity governance and suggests ways these gaps can be addressed especially through civil society engagement. While Kenya has seen some notable successes in advancing its energy sector - in particular in terms of increasing access to electricity - and has seen numerous efforts at reform intended to improve the functioning of the utility. Nonetheless the utility faces significant challenges that undermine the sector's performance overall. Challenges include: weaknesses in power distribution segments, the politicization of the utility company management, system and large commercial power losses. The resulting financial precarity has meant an inability to provide equitable, affordable and efficient electricity utility services. These challenges are compounded by costly power purchase agreements. Altogether these problems have threatened the financial stability of the power utility company and resulted in huge costs and debts. Civil society has a crucial role to play in providing solutions to these challenges through advocacy, expert advisory and by offering solutions in emerging issues such as the energy transition. There are further opportunities for civil society to actively implement sustainable energy initiatives, develop of informational materials, establishment of networks to support good governance (for instance, linking development partners with local governments), and also developing monitoring tools.
- Collections
- Research reports & discussion papers
- Pages
- 44
- Published in
- Kenya
- pages
- 44
Table of Contents
- AChIEVING uNIVERSAL ACCESS TO ELECTRICITy WhILE REALIzING ThE SDGS REquIRES AN INTEGRATED 7
- APPROACh ThAT INVOLVES STATE 7
- AND NON-STATE ACTORS. 7
- SDG7 The Energy Progress Report 2022. 8
- 2.0 Methodology 11
- AN ExTENSIVE quALITATIVE ANALySIS Of ExISTING LITERATuRE ThAT RANGES fROM POLICy DOCuMENTS INSTITuTIONAL REPORTS jOuRNALISTIC ARTICLES AND OCCASIONAL ACADEMIC RESOuRCES. 11
- 4.0 Current Governance Structure of the Electricity Utility in Kenya 19
- 5.0 Current Economic and Financial State of Electricity Utility 22
- 6.0 Opportunities for Civil Society to Engage in Utility Governance 28
- 7.0 Best Practices in Utility Governance Lessons for Kenya 31
- 8.0 Role of Utilities in Relation to Climate Change and Energy Transition. 37
- 9.0 Conclusion 38
- Considering the foregoing we make the following 40
- 11. RECOMMENDATIONS 40
- Government 40
- KPLC 41
- CIVIL SOCIETIES 42