The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) gazetted sweeping new electricity market rules on May 8, 2026, formally ending Kenya Power and Lighting Company’s decades-long monopoly over bulk electricity distribution. The Energy (Electricity Market, Bulk Supply, and Open Access) Regulations 2026 allow large consumers to buy power directly from generators including KenGen and independent power producers.
Open Access Regulations Reshape Kenya’s Power Market
Any consumer drawing at least one megavolt-ampere (MVA) from the distribution network, or at least 10 MVA from the transmission network, is eligible to enter direct power purchase agreements with generators. Contracts must run between one and ten years, with pricing subject to EPRA approval. Large industrial and commercial consumers accounted for approximately 7,313 gigawatt-hours — 70% — of Kenya Power’s sales in the year to June 2025.
What Comes Next
EPRA must now operationalise the regulations by finalising the network wheeling tariff methodology, establishing licensing processes for eligible consumers and generators, and ensuring Kenya Power and KETRACO have the advanced metering and billing infrastructure required.
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