Kenya to double peak electricity imports from Ethiopia to 400 MW by Dec 2026

Kenya Power has agreed to double its peak electricity imports from Ethiopia to 400 MW beginning Dec 2026, as part of a 25-year contract with state-owned Ethiopian Electric Power signed in 2022. The arrangement, which already delivers 200 MW, will also raise off-peak imports from 65 MW to 150 MW pending technical validation. Kenya’s power system faces tightening supply, with peak demand reaching 2,514 MW and the reserve margin falling to minus 1.5%, prompting a 24.8% rise in total electricity imports last year.

Ethiopia provided about 82% of Kenya’s imports, accounting for roughly 10% of Kenya’s overall electricity supply. Officials say the additional power will supplement, not replace, domestic generation such as geothermal, and will be purchased at the existing tariff.