Kenya’s energy regulator plans a comprehensive grid study to identify network weaknesses and assess interventions needed to maintain stability as variable renewable-energy generation expands.
Kenya grid stability is becoming an increasingly important issue as the country integrates more variable renewable-energy generation.
Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) plans to identify grid weaknesses and interventions needed to maintain stability as variable renewable generation expands, while separate work by KETRACO and Swedfund examines transmission-grid stability.
Kenya’s energy regulator is preparing a comprehensive study of the country’s electricity grid. The study comes as growing variable renewable generation raises concerns about the network’s ability to accommodate new capacity reliably.
EPRA Director General Eng. Edward Mwirigi Kinyua told Rinnovabili Africa that grid stability was the greatest obstacle posed by variable renewable-energy technologies as Kenya integrates new renewable capacity.
“VREs are intermittent in nature and a higher percentage of the same causes instability when such plants go offline,” Kinyua said.
He said the planned Kenyan Grid System Study would identify network weaknesses and assess interventions to enhance grid stability as Kenya integrates existing and planned renewable-energy projects.
EPRA has not yet provided a timeline for the study or detailed the specific interventions it expects to examine.
Kenya grid stability under scrutiny
The proposed EPRA study comes as other institutions examine how Kenya’s electricity network can accommodate additional renewable generation.
In October 2026, Sweden’s development finance institution Swedfund announced support for a grid-stability study with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO). The initiative focuses on voltage stability in western Kenya. It will assess whether phase-shifting transformers could help optimise electricity flows.
The work covers network modelling, reactive power compensation, conceptual design and technical requirements. It also includes economic and financial analysis. Swedfund says the resulting investments are expected to improve grid stability and efficiency. They could also create better conditions for integrating more renewable energy.
The KETRACO initiative is separate from the study EPRA described. However, both highlight the need to identify network limitations and determine which technical interventions can support the electricity system as generation capacity expands.
Managing variable generation
Kenya Power has also raised concerns about the operational implications of increasing variable renewable generation.
In an August 2026 statement, the utility said variable renewable sources accounted for 34% of the energy mix during peak daytime demand of 1,900 MW. They accounted for 36% during low-load demand of 1,200 MW at the time.
Kenya Power said sudden rises or falls in wind and solar output can force it to dispatch additional generation at extra cost to help stabilise the grid. These additional costs ultimately contribute to what consumers pay.
Variable renewable technologies depend on weather conditions, so they cannot always generate electricity at a constant rate. When output changes, other generators and flexibility measures may need to balance electricity supply and demand.
Flexibility and storage become more important
The International Energy Agency’s report, Integrating Variable Renewable Energy in Kenya, published on 12 March 2026, assessed Kenya as operating in Phase 3 of the IEA’s variable renewable energy integration framework. At this stage, variability increasingly affects system operations.
The agency identified three priorities: open access, flexibility and storage, and ancillary services. It said Kenya could not rely on increasing generation capacity alone. Market rules, regulations and operational frameworks must also adapt.
These measures can help electricity systems respond to changes in renewable output while maintaining reliable operations. Network upgrades can also help manage congestion and move electricity from generation sites to areas of demand.
EPRA’s planned study could clarify which interventions Kenya’s grid needs as the country connects more renewable generation. However, the regulator has yet to detail the study’s scope, timetable or recommendations publicly.
As Kenya expands renewable generation, it will need to develop transmission infrastructure and system operations alongside new capacity. This would help the country integrate more clean electricity without compromising grid stability.
