Kenya’s electricity exports hit record highs in the final quarter of 2025, capping a year that marked a decisive shift from marginal cross-border sales to large-scale regional power trade.
- •Total electricity exports rose to 26.13 GWh in October, climbed to 30.48 GWh in November, then to an all-time high of 52.11 GWh in December.
- •December’s exports alone were higher than Kenya’s total annual electricity exports recorded in both 2023 and 2024, when monthly volumes typically stayed below 4 GWh.
- •Surging deliveries to Tanzania follow the full operational ramp-up of the 400 kV Kenya–Tanzania interconnector.
For years, Kenya’s electricity exports were modest and largely confined to Uganda. Tanzania recorded virtually no imports from Kenya through 2024, and total exports averaged about 3.5 GWh per month. That pattern changed at the start of 2025. Tanzania imports appeared in January, immediately lifting exports to 8.09 GWh, then scaled steadily through the year.
By the final quarter, Tanzania had become the dominant destination. In December, exports to Tanzania reached 50.08 GWh, accounting for more than 96% of total exports, while shipments to Uganda eased to 2.03 GWh.
What makes the shift more significant is that exports rose alongside a sharp increase in imports. Total electricity imports peaked at 172.33 GWh in October 2025, the highest level on record. Ethiopia accounted for 137.14 GWh, or nearly 80%, of that total. Ethiopian inflows remained elevated through November and December, even as exports continued to climb.
The parallel rise in imports and exports shows Kenya is no longer trading power in one direction. Instead, electricity is increasingly flowing through Kenya’s grid. Power generated in Ethiopia is entering Kenya, meeting part of domestic demand, and moving onward to Tanzania.
This change was enabled by the 400 kV Isinya–Singida Kenya–Tanzania interconnector, which was energised in late 2024 and ramped up through 2025. Early flows were cautious as systems were tested. By the second half of the year, higher and more stable transfers became possible as grid reliability and settlement arrangements were finalised.
The scale of December exports highlights how far the market has moved. 52.11 GWh over 31 days implies an average flow of about 70 MW into Tanzania, consistent with sustained commercial dispatch rather than short-term balancing. At the same time, Kenya’s local generation stayed strong at around 1,150–1,170 GWh per month, indicating imports were supporting both domestic consumption and exports.
