Kenya’s electricity imports from Ethiopia increased by 88 percent to 672.26 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in the first six months of 2024 compared to 357.44 million kWh recorded in the same period in 2023.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report, the imports have been on the rise, growing from a low of 20 million kWh a month in 2023 to a high of 122 million kWh per month in 2024.

Further, the report revealed that Ethiopia supplies the bulk of Kenya's power imports, with imports from Uganda declining to 106.07 million kWh in the six months from 141.23 million kWh in a similar period in 2023.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority of Kenya (EPRA ) noted in a recent report that Ethiopia became the main supplier of hydroelectric power because of its cheap hydroelectric power.

Kenya has built a 500-kilovolt interconnector line to facilitate power imports, accelerating regional power trade.

 The country’s electricity consumers stand at about 10 million, with the number having doubled in the past years as demand rises, according to Kenya Power, the country’s main electricity distributor.