Nairobi — Kenya's electricity imports jumped 27.8 percent in the year to June 2025, driven largely by Ethiopia's growing contribution through the Ethiopia-Kenya power import program, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has reported.

Data from the regulator shows imports rose by 334.05 GWh to 1,533.85 GWh, up from 1,199.80 GWh in the previous year.

The share of imports in Kenya's energy mix climbed to 10.6 percent, compared to 8.8 percent a year earlier, making electricity the fastest-growing source of energy during the review period.

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The increase reflects the first full year of commercial operations under the 200 MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector linking Ethiopia and Kenya, which went live in December 2023.

Ethiopia supplied 1,274.42 GWh, or 83 percent of Kenya's total imports. Uganda and Tanzania contributed 225.64 GWh and 33.79 GWh respectively.

By mid-year 2025, imports had already reached 751.95 GWh, nearly double the 419.13 GWh recorded in the same period of 2024.

EPRA noted that imports from Ethiopia are more cost-effective than domestic thermal generation, saving Kenya an estimated $10 million annually. They have also strengthened grid stability during peak demand periods.

Negotiations are ongoing to raise import capacity by an additional 50-100 MW to meet rising domestic demand and avert power rationing.

The Sodo-Moyale-Suswa interconnector, a 500 kV transmission line, enables power transfers between the two countries and is seen as a critical piece of regional energy integration.

Monthly inflows peaked at 146.02 GWh in January 2025 and bottomed out at 106.01 GWh in July 2024, reflecting seasonal demand swings.