Kenya Power Managing Director Joseph Siror has warned that electricity costs could rise significantly if county governments begin charging the utility firm for wayleaves.
Speaking during a meeting with the Kenya Editors Guild on Tuesday, March 4, Siror revealed that the company could face an annual bill of Ksh63.8 billion should governors impose the charges. He cautioned that this cost would inevitably be passed on to consumers, potentially increasing electricity tariffs by 30 percent.
“Kenya Power has over 319,000 kilometers of power lines across all 47 counties. The introduction of wayleave charges on power lines will impact retail tariffs. If imposed at Ksh200 per meter, it will translate to Ksh63.8 billion per year,” Siror explained.
According to the MD, this additional cost would account for a significant portion of the energy sector’s revenue requirements, making electricity unaffordable for many Kenyans.
The debate comes as the Nairobi County Government recently demanded that Kenya Power pay wayleave fees, further fueling concerns about rising electricity costs.
However, Siror argued that such charges would be unlawful, citing Section 223 of the Energy Act 2019, which prohibits public entities from imposing levies on energy infrastructure without regulatory approval.
On a positive note, he acknowledged that electricity costs had recently decreased due to the stabilization of the shilling, leading to lower forex and fuel pass-through charges.
