Industrial electricity consumption in Kenya rose by 4.18% in the six months to December 2025, reaching 2,924.48 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up from 2,807.10 GWh recorded in the previous half-year period.
A report by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), however, indicates that despite the increase in absolute consumption, the sector’s share of the country’s total electricity demand declined to 49.25 percent, down from 51.18% recorded during the same period a year earlier.
The drop is the first time industrial consumption has fallen below half of Kenya’s total electricity usage.
EPRA attributes the bulk of electricity demand to large and medium-sized industrial facilities, which remain the dominant consumers of power in the country.
EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo said facilities consuming more than 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), together with medium-scale facilities using between 180,001 kWh and 1,200,000 kWh, account for the majority of the nation’s electricity consumption.
“While national economic statistics are aggregated at the macro level, we can share with confidence that large facilities and medium facilities account for the majority of Kenya’s electricity consumption, an indicator of their scale and economic activity,” said Daniel Kiptoo, EPRA DG.
The regulator is now urging industries to adopt energy efficiency measures aimed at reducing operational costs while sustaining or increasing production levels.
According to EPRA, the adoption of existing energy efficiency frameworks can enable companies to maintain output while consuming less energy per unit of production, ultimately lowering energy costs.
To strengthen energy management practices, the government has introduced the Energy (Energy Management) Regulations, 2025.
The regulations target commercial, industrial and institutional facilities that consume more than 180,000 kWh of electrical and thermal energy annually, setting standards for improved energy management and sustainable consumption as demand grows.
Also Read: Pain for Motorists as EPRA Adjusts Fuel Prices for January-February 2025
Embracing Energy Efficiency
Speaking during the rollout of the regulations, Principal Secretary in the State Department of Energy Alex Wachira called on industries to invest in energy efficiency technologies.
He noted that improved efficiency could free up electricity capacity in what he described as “virtual power plants”, allowing surplus power to be redirected to additional factories, households and commercial centres without the need for new power generation projects.
Under the new regulations, facilities are required to conduct comprehensive energy audits at least once every four years, implement recommended efficiency measures and achieve at least 50 percent of projected energy savings. Companies must also appoint licensed energy managers and establish internal energy management committees.
EPRA says these requirements are intended to strengthen corporate governance while improving competitiveness, resilience and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance among large energy consumers.
