Customer Service

This is your previous bill balance. If it’s already been settled, that payment is reflected here.

This was a cost that used to towards the billing or prepaid vending process. It was scrapped with the introduction of new tariffs in August 2018.

This is your electricity consumption within the billing period or prepaid vending month in kilowatt hours and shillings.

This is the money used for generation of electricity from thermal power plants. It varies monthly depending on the quantity of thermal generation and the cost of fuel.

The foreign exchange component is related to the fluctuation of hard currencies against the Kenyan Shilling for expenditure denominated in these currencies related to the power sector (e.g. project loan repayments).

Varies according to the domestic and international inflation on cost of supply. It is adjusted after every six months starting from the 1st of January.

Currently set at 0.05 cents per kilowatt hour and is passed to the Water Resource Management Authority (WARMA) for hydro-power generation of 1Megawatt and above. In the pre-paid token receipt WARMA levy is combined with the ERC levy.

Currently set at 3 cents per kilowatt hour and is passed to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to cover its operational costs.

This is currently set at 5% of the cost of the units consumed and is passed to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) for implementation of rural electrification projects.

Currently set at 16% and is applicable to Consumption, Fuel Cost Charge and Forex Adjustment.

This is the payment received for your previous bill.

Mainly responsible for policy formulation and granting and revoking generation and distribution licenses upon recommendation of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC); and settlement of disputes arising from parties aggrieved by ERC’s decision(s).

This broadly articulates the Government’s strategies for the energy sector generally and the power sub–sector specifically.

The network of electricity transmission and distribution cables used in the conveyance of electricity.

A system of transmission and distribution lines cross–connected and operated to permit multiple power supply to any principal point on it.

Caused by actions external to the power system and consist primarily of electricity theft, non-payment by customers, and errors in accounting and record-keeping.

A stand-alone electricity generation, transmission and distribution network serving a confined part of a country or region. Kenya’s more remote regions have isolated or off-grid power systems.

Power supplied during hours when power demand is usually low.

Power supplied during periods of relatively high system demands.

The period during which a generating unit, transmission system, or distribution line is out of service.

To put too much electricity through an electrical system or piece of equipment.

The maximum amount of power necessary to supply all customers at peak time.

One of the characteristics of electric services supplied or the equipment used. Most residential customers have single–phase service. Large commercial and industrial customers have either two-phase or three– phase service.

An interruption of service to electric lines to permit work that cannot be performed while the lines are live with electric current. Whenever possible, affected customers are notified beforehand.

The time rate of using electric energy, usually expressed in kilowatts.

A network of power lines and associated equipment used to transmit and distribute electricity over a geographic area.

Consists of two or more utilities who combine their resources to better meet their individual needs.

The negotiated bulk power tariff between Kenya Power and the power generating companies, including other related contractual agreements between Kenya Power and those entities.

A deliberate action to allocate different hours of electric service to customers in respective locations in response to a power shortage.

The part of the energy sector concerned with the electricity business.

Devices used to access electricity that has been paid for in advance.

Established by the government to speed up the implementation pace of the rural electrification programme.

An integrated network of electricity transmission lines linking several Eastern and Southern Africa countries.

A small building or fenced – in yard containing switches, transformers, and other equipment and structures for the purpose of adjusting voltage, monitoring circuits and other service functions. As electricity gets closer to where it is to be used, it goes through a substation where the voltage is lowered so it can be used by homes, schools and factories.

The proportion of electricity lost in the process of transmission and distribution.

The charge levied by Kenya’s Power sector for development, operations and maintenance of the power system. The entire power sector is financed from the total revenue collected by Kenya Power from its retail tariff which is set and approved by the ERC.

Technical losses occur naturally and consist mainly of power dissipation in electricity system components such as transmission and distribution lines, transformers, and measurement systems.

Thermal electricity is generated from the heat produced by the burning of fossil and renewable fuels.

A transformer is a device used to change the voltage level of electric current. Transformers can either increase or decrease voltage.

A temporary introduction of a foreign element that causes a momentary interruption of services to electric lines such as a tree branch touching a line during a wind storm.

Heavy wires that carry large amounts of electricity over long distances from a generating station to places where electricity is needed. Transmission lines are held high above the ground on tall towers called transmission towers.

The switching “off” of a circuit breaker due to a fault in the electric circuit or power equipment.

An enclosed rotary wheel turned by water or steam. It then turns a generator to make electricity.

Generation (electricity), transmission, and distribution (delivery) services provided by different entities. Kenya operates an unbundled electricity service with several public and private players.

An electrical conductor installed below the surface of the earth

Any interruption in the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity systems which is not scheduled

A company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation. Telephone, water and electric companies are utilities.

The unit used in measuring the force driving electricity through a circuit, or the strength of an electric current.

The rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity in a circuit. It is measured in volts.

A measure of how much electric power an appliance needs. This term is commonly used to rate appliances using relatively small amounts of electricity.

Right of way granted to a utility to erect equipment in the course of service delivery. Way leaves may be granted by individuals, the government or its institutions.

The unit of measure of an electric current. Ampere is a measure of the amount of electric charge passing a point in an electric circuit per unit time.

AC current is a specific type of electric current in which the direction of the current’s flow is reversed, or alternated, on a regular basis.

It is the technology of automatically collecting data from electric metering devices and transferring that data to a central database for billing, troubleshooting, and analysing.

Describes a system of intelligent control over electrical power grid functions to the distribution level and beyond. Its goal is real-time adjustment to changing loads, generation, and failure conditions of the distribution system, usually without operator intervention.

This is the minimum amount of power that a utility or distribution company must make available to its customers, or the amount of power required to meet minimum demands based on customer requirements.

A charge applied to an electricity customer for energy reserved or made available explicitly for that customer. This charge is levied whether or not the customer actually uses the energy made available for them.

A blackout is a complete interruption of power in a given service area. Blackouts come without warning, last for unstipulated periods, and are typically caused by faults, acts of vandalism, equipment failure or severe weather.

A brownout is a partial, temporary reduction in system voltage or total system capacity. Although service is not disrupted completely, a brownout will cause a dimming of lights and may result in a loss of load.

Refers to energy provision in which all needed electric services (generation of energy, transmission of electricity, distribution from the transmission system, metering and billing, and support functions required to maintain consistent supply) are provided as a single package, usually by a single provider.

A strip or bar that conducts electricity within a switchboard, distribution board, substation, battery bank or other electrical apparatus.

A capacitor is an electronic component typically used to “clean up” the flow of electricity by ensuring steady, consistent wattage through a circuit or part of a circuit. It also improves the efficiency of the electrical system.

The maximum amount of power, normally expressed in megawatts, that a given system or subsystem can carry or produce at a particular moment, and is typically used to represent the real production capability rating of a generation or transmission system.

A business process or an industry that requires large amounts of money and other financial resources to produce a good or service. The electric utility industry is one of the most capital intensive of all industries.

A complete path through which electricity flows.

A type of switch designed to automatically interrupt power when more power is flowing through the circuit than the circuit is designed to handle.

A cable is most often two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. Electrical cable is the wire plus all other materials required by the wire for practical use (e.g. insulation and sheathing).

The simultaneous generation of electrical and thermal energy where both forms of energy are put to productive use

A Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) is a type of energy saving lamp, also known as Compact Fluorescent Light.

Any substance or object able to transmit electricity, or which is intended for use as a carrier for electricity.

Current is the flow of electricity. The amount of current which can be carried by an electrical system is measured in watts.

The management of demand for energy. It is a service offered by utilities, energy suppliers or private companies as a value added service to assist the customer with getting the best value from their energy expenses.

Electricity that flows continuously in one direction at all times.

Usually refers to the combination of the physical hardware required to deliver energy between high-voltage transmission lines and end-use customers, and the procedures and processes used to perform the actual delivery.

It is the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor.

This sector includes companies involved in the exploration and development of oil or gas reserves, oil and gas drilling, alternative energy sources, or integrated power firms.

A failure or interruption in an electric circuit.

An electrical line that feeds energy to the next level of distribution. A distribution feeder is an underground or overhead line connected to a transmission system which carries power into the distribution network where it is delivered to end-use customers.

Literally, fuel from fossils. A naturally occurring non-renewable organic energy source that comes from fossilized plants and animals, such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas.

Refers to a change made to the price of electricity based on changes in the market price of fuel used to generate it.

A safety device that protects an electric circuit from becoming overloaded. Fuses contain a length of thin wire (usually of a metal alloy) that melts and breaks the circuit if too much current flows through it.

To make electricity. A generating station is a building where electricity is made.

The various means available for generation of electricity. Electricity in Kenya is generated mainly from hydro, geothermal and thermal sources. There are efforts to generate electricity on a wide scale from wind and solar.

Energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earth’s surface or the collection of absorbed heat in the atmosphere and oceans.

A watt is a unit of power, especially of heat or light. A Gigawatt is equal to a billion watts or one thousand megawatts.

A conducting connection, intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth providing a complete current path.

The production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water.

A lighting device in which light is produced using electrical current to heat a thin filament (thread) or metal to a temperature where it gives off light.

Refers to a producer of electrical energy which is not a public utility but which makes electric energy available for sale to utilities or the general public.

The demand at the instant of greatest load, usually determined from the readings of indicating or graphic meters.

A material or an object that does not easily allow heat, electricity, light, or sound to pass through it.

Describes the maximum capacity that a system is designed to run at.

A system consisting of one or more individual power systems, normally operating with the interconnecting transmission lines. The Kenyan power system and the Ugandan Power system form an interconnected system.

A company that generates electricity from all publicly owned generating plant and sells power in bulk to Kenya Power. It is also the single largest supplier of electrical energy in the country.

This is a limited liability company which transmits, distributes and retails electricity to customers throughout Kenya. The Company, quoted at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, buys power in bulk from power generators, which it then transmits, distributes and retails to consumers.

The National Contact Centre was established to allow customers interact with the Company via all communication channels including telephone, email and social media.

1 Kilovolt (Kv) =1,000 Volts

1 Kilowatt (KW) = 1,000 Watts. A kilowatt – hour (KWH) is the basic unit of electrical energy equal to I Kilowatt or 1,000 Watts of power used for one hour. The amount of power the customer uses is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).

A system of high tension cables by which electrical power is distributed to electricity customers.

A team of trained, skilled maintenance and repair workers who service transmission and distribution lines, and equipment

A load is the amount of power delivered, as required, at any point or points in the system. A load is created by the power demands of customer equipment.

The average power divided by the peak power over a period of time.

The act or practice of temporarily reducing the supply of electricity to an area to avoid overloading the generators. Load shedding is most often applied to ensure continuity to a smaller number of costumers when demand for electricity exceeds supply.

The nature of the power industry is long term in nature due to the nature of investments that support power supply. Hence, there is need to plan for the future in a consistent manner in order to safeguard security of supplies efficiently. Kenya’s power tariff is based on long run marginal costs, which deal with future costs over a long period of e.g. five to ten years, so that the resulting tariff prices in constant terms tend to be quite stable over time.

The greatest demand that occurred during a specified period of time.

One million Watts or 1,000 Kilowatts.

The board on which the meter and main switch, and associated equipment are mounted.

The examination of the meter for various reasons including verifying, readings, determining accuracy and checking for malfunction.

Deliberate interference with the power measuring device in premises, usually for purpose of showing lower or no consumption.