Kenya’s electricity consumers are bracing themselves for an even pricier festive season after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) hiked electricity prices by an additional 5.2%. Through a gazette notice signed by EPRA Director-General Daniel Kiptoo, the DG noted that the Fuel Cost Charge (FCC) and foreign exchange rate fluctuation adjustment (Ferfa) have both been increased from Ksh.6.36 to Ksh.7.12 per unit and Ksh.1.41 to Ksh.2.07 per unit, respectively.
“Pursuant to Clause 1 of Part III of the Schedule of Tariffs 2018, notice is given that all prices for electrical energy specified in Part II of the said Schedule will be liable to a fuel energy cost charge of plus 712 Kenya cents per kWh for all meter readings to be taken in December 2022,”
Consequently, the unit cost of power for lifeline customers, who are mostly low-income households using less than 100 kWh of electricity per month on average, has increased from Ksh19 to Ksh20.
With annual inflation topping 9.5% last month, families are already feeling the pinch of rising prices for other goods. For many, this will be the most expensive festive season in recent years because the price of food soared by 15.4% between November 2021 and November this year, the price of transportation increased by 11.7%, and the cost of housing, water, electricity, and gas rose by 6.1%.
