Hydro Generation of Electricity Declined 29.9% in 2017 – KNBS

By Rahab Mbiriti (Statistician)

Hydro generation of electricity registered a significant drop of 29.9 percent to 2,776.8 GWh mainly due to prolonged drought in 2017 according to the Economic Survey 2018 done by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The total electricity generation in Kenya increased by 3.0 percent to 10,359.9 GWh in 2017 from 10,057.7 GWh in 2016.

Thermal generation increased significantly by 72.3 percent from 1,470.9 GWh in 2016 to 2,534.1 GWh in 2017. Electricity generation by wind and geothermal also increased by 8.7 and 6.1 percent, respectively, in the same review period.

The electricity access rate in the country stands at 73.42 percent as at the end of April 2018, owing to various national electrification projects that have been undertaken by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC).

Geothermal generation accounted for the highest production of the total electricity produced in 2017 with a share of 45.9%.

In 2013, hydro generation accounted for the highest electricity production in the country with a 51.9% share. However, this production has continued to decline over the past years with geothermal generation taking over as the largest producer of electricity in 2017.

Kenya has been ranked first in Africa and ninth globally, in geothermal power generation capacity by the Renewable Global Status Report 2018. Geothermal is widely considered a preferable, low-cost renewable source of energy due to low emissions.

The government is making strides towards the production of clean and affordable energy by adopting the Geothermal generation of power. This is in line with the seventh Sustainable Development Goal which aims at ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.