The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has introduced three comprehensive draft regulations aimed at enhancing safety, reliability, and consumer protection in Kenya’s energy sector. The proposals, currently undergoing public participation, seek to address key areas of energy management, including incident reporting, service quality, and licensing protocols.
According to Eng. Joseph Okech, EPRA’s Director in Charge of Electricity and Renewable Energy, the first regulation focuses on Electricity Incident and Accident Reporting. This measure aims to mitigate risks associated with electrical mishaps by mandating that all electrical incidents or accidents be reported within 48 hours. Individuals and organizations affected by such incidents will also be required to conduct preliminary investigations and submit detailed reports to EPRA. To facilitate the process, EPRA plans to develop an online reporting system and establish a 24-hour incident hotline to ensure timely response and resolution.
The second set of regulations addresses Electricity Reliability, Quality of Supply, and Service. These rules are designed to improve the standards of electricity supply across the country by establishing clear benchmarks for reliability and service quality. Under these proposals, organizations responsible for electricity supply will be held accountable for maintaining high standards, and consumers will be entitled to compensation in cases of property damage or bodily harm resulting from supply failures or substandard service.
The third regulation focuses on Electric Power Undertaking Licensing. This seeks to streamline the licensing process and enforce compliance across all individuals or entities involved in the importation, exportation, generation, transmission, distribution, or retail supply of electrical energy. Under the new rules, all such players will be required to obtain the appropriate licenses from EPRA before engaging in any power-related activities.
Eng. Okech emphasized the importance of stakeholder participation in refining these regulations. He encouraged the public to review the draft documents, available on EPRA’s official website, and submit their feedback. This, he noted, will help ensure that the final regulations comprehensively address safety and service quality concerns in Kenya’s energy sector.
