Kenya
-- Energy
Although
Kenya's
energy
sources
and management
are better
than that
of their
neighbors,
burning
wood and
charcoal
still
accounts
for over
70% of
domestic
energy.
Kenya
is dependent
on imported
oil and
petroleum
products
to meet
its energy
requirements.
Petroleum
Kenya
is heavily
dependent
on imported
petroleum
products
to meet
its energy
needs.
The government
has made
efforts
to reduce
the role
of petroleum
in domestic
energy
consumption
and has
achieved
some success.
Despite
these
efforts,
oil constitutes
four fifths
of Kenya's
total
primary
energy
consumption.
There
has been
an increase
in the
demand
for oil
since
the country's
transportation
and industrial
sectors
have expanded
in the
last decade.
In 1985,
22% of
the entire
import
budget
went to
oil purchases,
with petroleum
products
alone
consuming
14% of
export
revenue.[1]
An increased
urban
population
has also
contributed
to greater
consumption
of energy
for heating
water
for cooking
and other
domestic
purposes.
This has
also stepped
up demand
for charcoal,
which
has become
increasingly
scarce
and expensive
since
recently
expanded
agriculture
has led
to the
felling
of forests
that once
yielded
wood for
fuel.
Exploration
for a
domestic
source
of oil
has been
undertaken
by several
international
oil companies,
but these
efforts
have met
with disappointment.
In January,
1988,
the French
Oil company,
Total,
found
oil and
gas at
a depth
of 4,000
meters
in the
Isiolo
district,
but this
source
has not
proved
commercially
viable.
In mid-1997,
Tornado
Resources
of Canada
signed
two agreements
for oil
and gas
exploration:
onshore
near the
Ethiopian
border
and offshore
near the
Tanzanian
frontier.
The Mombasa-based
Kenya
Petroleum
Refineries
(KPR)
operates
the country's
sole oil
refinery,
which
handles
oil primarily
from the
United
Arab Emirates.
Deregulation
of petroleum
product
prices
and petroleum
marketing
and distribution
was enacted
in October,
1994.
Foreign
marketing
companies,
which
together
own a
50% interest
in KPR,
are no
longer
required
to import
crude
oil through
the company
for refining.[2]
Electricity
Hydroelectric
power
is supplied
from five
major
stations
in the
Tana river
basin:
Kindaruma
(completed
in 1987),
Gitaru,
Kamburu,
Masinga
and Kiambere.
A geothermal
station
operates
at Olkaria,
in the
Rift Valley,
with three
15 MW
generators.
Their
capacity
will be
increased
when two
30-MW
stations
at Olkaria
are up
and running.
The Turkwel
Hydroelectric
station
in the
Turkana
district
has a
capacity
of 105
MW. In
1993,
Kenya
had 604
MW hydroelectric
capacity,
156 MW
thermal
capacity
and 45
MW geothermal
capacity,
giving
a total
of 805
MW. Additional
power
is drawn
from the
Owen Falls
dam in
Uganda.
The government
expects
that wider
distribution
of electricity
and rising
incomes
will reduce
demand
for fuel-wood
and kerosene.
But if
demand
for electricity
grows
at a rate
of 6.2%
per year,
as projected,
an expansion
of 70%
will be
called
for to
meet demands
in the
year 2000.[3]
When the
Electric
Power
Bill was
passed
into law
in November
1997,
Kenya's
electrical
industry
was divided
into two
separate
legal
entities:
the Kenya
Power
Company
(KPC,
for generation)
and the
Kenya
Power
and Lighting
Company
(KPLC,
for distribution
and transmission).
Fuel
Wood and
Charcoal
These
materials
have been
the subject
of a special
study
examining
energy
demands
between
1985 and
the year
2000.
The study
predicts
that fuel-wood
and charcoal
consumption
will grow
at 3.0
and 4.7
per cent
respectively
per annum.
If commercial
demand
for wood,
paper,
pulp and
construction
are taken
into account,
then a
7.5% yearly
expansion
in the
demand
for wood
is predicted.
If demand
increases
at this
rate,
Kenya's
forests
are likely
to be
depleted
unless
conservation
measures
are quickly
undertaken.
A three-part
program
is being
implemented
to meet
the fuel-wood
demands
of the
coming
years.
The first
strategy
involves
reforms
in agro-forestry,
whereby
farmers
are encouraged
to alternate
traditional
crops
with trees
that reach
maturity
quickly
and that
enrich
the soil
with nitrogen.
The program
stipulates
that about
3 million
hectares
be thus
developed.
The second
strategy
involves
the organization
of efficient
fuel-wood
plantations
to meet
demand
for charcoal.
The third
strategy
seeks
to protect
the environment
with particular
care given
to avoiding
soil erosion
and desertification.
Energy
balance,
1997
(millions
tonnes
oil equivalent)
OilGasCoalElectricityOtherTotal
Primary
supply
Production0.000.000.000.989.9510.93
Imports2.760.000.090.040.002.89
Exports-0.660.000.000.000.00-0.66
Stock
change0.240.000.000.000.000.24
Total2.340.000.091.029.9513.40
Processing
and
Transformation
Losses
&
transfers-0.230.000.00-1.09-2.83-4.15
Net
transformation0.000.000.000.380.000.38
Final
consumption2.110.000.090.317.129.63
Source
The Economist
Intelligence
Unit,
1998,
Country
Profile.
Kenya,
The Unit:
London,
pg. 21.
[1]
Uwechue,
Raph (ed.)
1996.
Africa
Today,
Third
Edition,
Africa
Books
Limited,
pp.868-69.
[2]
Uwechue,
Raph (ed.)
1996.
Africa
Today,
Third
Edition,
Africa
Books
Limited,
p. 21.
[3]
Uwechue,
Raph (ed.)
1996.
Africa
Today,
Third
Edition,
Africa
Books
Limited,
p.869.