Local generation of electricity between July and October last year grew for the first time since 2022 helped by a rise in geothermal sources helping doge a deepening crisis amid increased power demand.
An analysis of data shows local sources generated 4,546.99Gigawatt-hours (GWh) marking a five percent rise from 4,344.11GWh produced between July and October of 2024.
Power from geothermal and solar grew in the period, helping undo the impact of the fall in production by hydro and wind plants.
Kenya recorded six peak demands in 2025 alone underscoring the fast-rising consumption and which has forced Kenya Power to deepen reliance on Ethiopia and Uganda in a bid to avert widespread rationing in the evening.
Generation from geothermal, dams, thermal, wind and solar plants between July and October had fallen since 2022 piling pressure on Kenya Power amid increased connections and consumption.
Power production from geothermal sources grew eight percent to 2,068.94GWh in the review period of last year from the 1,903.68GWh in the same period of 2024 while wind plants generated 145.58GWh, a marginal rise from 142.86GWh in the same period.
But generation from the country’s dams dipped five percent to 1,166GWh between July and October last year from 1,226.67GWh in the comparable period of 2024 while output from wind plants fell to 645.27GWh from 665.72GWh in the same period. Geothermal is the third cheapest electricity supplied to Kenya Power, behind hydro and imported energy.
Last year's rise, driven by geothermal and solar generation, eased pressure on Kenya Power amid a surge in use which has forced the utility to increasingly tap imports and ration some parts of the country especially when demand peaks.
Electricity imports now account for 10 percent of the power in the national grid, with the share having grown over the years as Kenya Power sought to ensure enough supplies amid a freeze on new power plants.
A freeze on new Power Purchase Agreements from 2018, and which was lifted in November 2025, significantly hurt efforts to increase local generation of electricity.
The ban prevented Kenya Power from onboarding new power plants, meaning that generation could only be increased via from existing plants.
Geothermal has in recent years been the baseload source of electricity in Kenya amid unreliable rains.
It accounted for 46 percent of the power generated locally between July and October last year, followed by 26 percent from hydro sources while wind is third (14 percent).
