Kenya is stepping up efforts to strengthen long-term energy planning as rising electricity demand, climate pressures and the need for affordable and reliable power reshape investment decisions in the sector.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are holding a week-long regional meeting in Nairobi focused on strengthening integrated approaches to energy planning and improving countries’ capacity to make informed long-term energy investment decisions.
The meeting, which runs through Friday, is examining the Climate, Land-use, Energy and Water Systems (CLEWS) approach, a planning framework designed to assess the interdependence between energy systems and critical resources such as land and water, while factoring in climate change and technological developments.
The engagement comes as Kenya prepares for a sustained increase in electricity demand driven by economic growth, industrialisation, urbanisation, and expanded access to electricity.
For policymakers and investors, the challenge is increasingly shifting from simply adding generation capacity to determining the most cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable combination of technologies to meet future demand.
Kenya already has one of Africa’s more diversified renewable-energy portfolios, with geothermal, hydropower, wind, and solar accounting for a significant share of electricity generation. The country is, however, exploring additional low-carbon technologies, including nuclear power, as it seeks to strengthen energy security and support long-term industrial development.
Integrated planning is critical to future energy security
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Energy Alex K. Wachira said Kenya’s Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP) requires policymakers to take a long-term view when evaluating energy choices.
“The Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP) requires decisions to look beyond immediate needs and consider how different energy choices will perform over the long term,” Wachira said during the opening ceremony.
He said the Nairobi meeting provides an opportunity to examine how energy demand, climate change, water availability, land use, technology, and costs interact in determining the country’s future energy landscape.
The approach is expected to help policymakers identify potential trade-offs early and ensure that energy investments made today remain viable as economic and environmental conditions change.
EPRA backs diversification of energy sources
EPRA Acting Director General Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Oketch said Kenya’s strong renewable-energy base provides a foundation for further diversification of the electricity supply mix.
“Kenya has built a strong foundation in renewable energy, particularly geothermal, hydro, wind and solar power, and there is a need to expand this energy mix to include emerging energy sources, while working with multiple sectors,” Oketch said.
He said the Energy (Integrated National Energy Plan) Regulations, 2025, provides a framework for guiding the development of emerging energy sources while supporting coordinated national energy planning.
Oketch also highlighted the importance of public participation and technical capacity in ensuring that decisions on future energy investments are supported by sound evidence and broad stakeholder engagement.
The emphasis on integrated planning reflects the increasing complexity of energy-sector investment. New generation projects must compete for land and water resources while meeting environmental requirements and delivering electricity at a cost that remains affordable to consumers and businesses.
IAEA expands support for African energy planning
The Nairobi meeting is being conducted under the IAEA’s African Regional Cooperative Agreement (AFRA), a framework bringing together 50 African countries to promote the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology in support of development.
Through AFRA’s energy programme, Technical Cooperation Project RAF2015 is supporting participating countries in strengthening their capacity for integrated energy planning.
Kenya, through EPRA, serves as the national counterpart institution for Project RAF2015 and coordinates the implementation of project activities in the country.
The regional meeting is providing participating countries with an opportunity to exchange experiences, strengthen technical expertise, and examine planning approaches that can help governments manage increasingly complex energy systems.
Nuclear power gains prominence in Kenya’s energy strategy
The discussions also take place as Kenya advances plans to incorporate nuclear power into its long-term energy and industrialisation strategy.
The International Conference on Nuclear Energy (ICoNE 2026), led by President William Samoei Ruto, reaffirmed Kenya’s ambition to develop up to 6,000 megawatts of nuclear power as part of its long-term industrialisation agenda.
Kenya is also undertaking site identification and characterisation activities in Kilifi and Siaya counties while working to strengthen the policy, legal and institutional frameworks required for the safe and responsible development of nuclear energy.
The potential addition of nuclear generation would represent a significant expansion of Kenya’s electricity-generation options and could provide a source of firm, low-carbon power to complement variable renewable sources.
However, such investments require extensive technical, financial, environmental, and regulatory assessments, reinforcing the importance of integrated energy planning.
Balancing growth, affordability, and sustainability
For Kenya, the central challenge is to expand electricity supply without undermining affordability, environmental sustainability, or energy security.
The CLEWS approach provides policymakers with a framework for examining these competing priorities together rather than evaluating energy, water, land, and climate considerations separately.
As electricity demand grows, decisions on generation capacity, transmission infrastructure, and emerging technologies are expected to have long-term implications for businesses, households, and public finances.
The EPRA-IAEA engagement therefore comes at a critical stage in Kenya’s energy transition, with the country seeking to preserve its leadership in renewable energy while evaluating additional technologies that can provide reliable electricity to support industrialisation and economic growth.
The regional meeting is expected to deepen cooperation among African countries while strengthening the technical capacity required to develop energy systems that are secure, affordable, reliable, and sustainable.
EPRA, established under the Energy Act, 2019, is responsible for the economic and technical regulation of Kenya’s electricity, renewable energy, petroleum, and coal sectors. Its mandate includes tariff setting and review, licensing, enforcement, dispute resolution, approval of Power Purchase Agreements and Network Service Contracts, as well as oversight of upstream petroleum and gas activities.
