Kenya Power has recorded a significant surge in electricity sales during the first five months of FY2025/2026, a promising indicator of growing energy demand and economic activity.
According to the latest data from the utility firm, total units sold by the utility company reached 4,975.19 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) from July to November 2025, compared to 4,602.52 GWh in the same period in 2024. This indicates a positive trajectory for the national power distributor.
The report not only reveals a rise in domestic consumption but also a dramatic shift in the regional energy trade dynamics. A closer look at the data shows a consistent upward trend in local generation, which forms the backbone of supply.
From July to November 2025, local generation stood at approximately 5,697.66 GWh compared to 5,411.45 GWh last year. This demonstrates robust capacity from domestic sources such as geothermal, hydro, and wind.
However, the data becomes even more interesting when examining imports and exports. While Kenya continues to import power from Ethiopia and Tanzania to supplement its grid, a new and striking development has emerged: a substantial increase in electricity exports to Tanzania.
For decades, the flow has largely been one-way, but the tables are now turning. In November 2025 alone, exports to Tanzania skyrocketed to 28.49 GWh, with total exports for that month hitting 30.48 GWh. This is a stark contrast to November 2024, when exports to Tanzania were non-existent and total exports were a mere 3.42 GWh.
This surge in sales and the new export paradigm can be attributed to several factors. Domestically, increased connectivity, urbanization, and industrial growth are driving consumption. The expansion of Kenya’s generation capacity, particularly in reliable base-load geothermal power, has provided a surplus that can now be strategically sold to neighbours.
Regionally, Tanzania’s growing economy is creating its own energy demand, which Kenya is well-positioned to meet, especially during periods of shortfall in the Tanzanian grid. This transforms Kenya from a net importer in the regional market to a balanced trader and even a net exporter in certain months, enhancing its strategic and economic position in East Africa.
The increased unit sales directly translate to higher revenue for Kenya Power, which is crucial for funding grid maintenance, expansion projects, and potentially stabilizing tariffs. The revenue from exports provides a valuable foreign exchange stream and strengthens regional energy cooperation.
For the economy, reliable and growing power sales are a classic barometer of health, signalling active factories, bustling businesses, and more households accessing electricity.
Kenya Power is clearly in transition from the report. It is successfully navigating increased domestic demand while capitalizing on its generation investments to tap into a lucrative export market.
The challenge now will be to sustain this growth, manage the grid efficiently with the new import-export dynamics, and ensure that this increased activity ultimately delivers value and reliability to every consumer.
