Forget it, power bills will become costlier than they currently are

The government has promised Kenyans cheaper power under the new tariffs approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). On the face of it, it is easy to believe the narrative that the energy regulator is standing with consumers. However, the finer details reveal that the only person laughing now is Kenya Power and its power suppliers;  among them the expensive diesel generators who have continued to make money despite the country making big investments in cheaper energy.

Through the new tariffs, the ERC has punished almost every one including the small-time consumer and massaged the hard hit by dropping the monthly Sh150 fixed charge. According to the new energy tariff backdated to July 1 the first 10 units (KWh) of energy consumed by domestic consumers will now cost Sh12 each from Sh2.5 previously charged. This means that for the first ten units, one will pay Sh120, up from the Sh25. This will be before the other pass-through costs and taxes are loaded.