Weekend Star
Date: 01.03.2014
Page 13
Article size: 220 cm2
ColumnCM: 48.88
AVE: 0.0
Electricity consumers get relief on lower February power bills
BY JAMES WAITHAKA
ELECTRICITY consumers
Forex rate fluctuation
have been handed a reprieve
in their February power bills
following a reduction in the
foreign exchange rate com­
ponent charge.
Kenya Power has gazet­
adjustment reflects foreign
ted a 13 cents per unit (kil­
owart hour) for February
bills, which is 61.8 per cent
lower than the 34 cents per
unit charged on January
meter readings. This is also
lower than December's 15
cents per unit.
The utility firm has
retained the fuel cost ad­
justment charge at Sh5.19
per kWh over the last three
monrhs,
currency­based costs such
as electricity project loans
charges of Sh2.50 per unit
for up to 50 units con­
sumed, Shi 1,62 per unit
for 51­1,500 units and
repayments incurred during Shi9.57 per unit for units
above 1,500.
generation and distribu­
tion. It is dependent on the
The forex
shilling's strength against
major world currencies in a
given period and is adjusted
monthly. The Central Bank
quoted the shilling at a
mean of 86.32 against the
dollar on Friday.
An electricity bill has
other components sur­
adjustment
charge and
WARMA levy
were reduced
charged monthly A typical
monthly bill's components
include the fixed and
consumption charge ­pay­
able to Kenya Power ­ and
A levy charged by the
Water Resources Manage­
ment Authority for energy
forex adjustment and VAT
which are remitted to the
purchased from hydropow­ government.
er plants with capacities of
Kenya Power also col­
1MW (megawatt) or above lects the fuel cost adjust­
has also been slashed to
ment on behalf of KenGen
five cents from the previous and independent and emer­
two month's six cents.
gency power producers for
About 12 hydropower
units supplied in the period,
plants of this category sup­ ERC levy for the Energy
plied electricity to Kenya
Regulatory Commission
Power in February.
and the rural electrification
"Slight decreases in to rex programme levy for the Ru­
adjustment and the WAR­
ral Electrification Authority.
MA levy charges caused a
The new schedule of
decrease in the cost of elec­
tariffs, effected from last
tricity," the Kenya National month, requires domestic
Bureau of Statistics said in
a statement on Firday.
users to pay a fixed charge
of Shi20 and energy
CONNECTED: A Kenya Power employee fixes lines.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya