Kenya Power adds 412,000 customers as new connections deliver less electricity demand

Kenya Power added 411,710 new customers to the national grid in the year ending June 2026, bringing its total customer base to approximately 10.4 million. However, the newly connected customers generated a significantly lower 161.7 GWh of electricity consumption, compared to 202.98 GWh the previous year. This decline in demand resulted in a Ksh1.07 billion drop in revenue, from Ksh5.12 billion to Ksh4.05 billion.

Each new customer added during the financial year generated about Ksh9,840 in electricity-sales revenue, or roughly Ksh820 per month, down from Ksh12,740 per customer the prior year. Total electricity sales increased by 12.05%, reaching 12,777 GWh, and revenue rose to Ksh238.24 billion, with profit after tax at Ksh24.99 billion.

The lower consumption of new customers does not indicate a contraction in Kenya's electricity market, as overall sales have grown. However, it raises the question of how much economic activity these connections will unlock in the future. Kenya Power's recent network investment update linked the new connections to a 161.7 GWh increase in electricity sales during the year.

While being connected to the grid expands access to power, the evaluation of Kenya's Last Mile Connectivity Project found that electricity consumption remained low even two to three years after connection, often used mainly for lighting and charging phones. The project recommended measures to stimulate additional demand. This highlights the distinction between being connected to the grid and becoming a significant electricity consumer.

Officials acknowledge that electricity access remains a public obligation, but also recognize the challenges in generating profitable demand from new connections. For Kenya Power, the performance of new customers will be crucial in determining how quickly today's new meters become tomorrow's sources of electricity demand and sales.