MANY MINDEDKenya's Solar Export Charges Retroactively Applied
Kenya's Electricity Regulatory Commission retroactively implemented solar export charges effective July 1, 2025, covering a period exceeding 14 months of net-metering exports. The net-metering export credit rate is 50% of exported electricity, with a maximum capacity of 1 MW per customer. These rules were formalized in Kenya's Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations of 2024, though the 1 MW capacity cap originated in the commission's 2022 draft regulations.
The regulator has not issued enforcement notices or retroactive billing advisories under the new dumping definition. Kenya Power and Lighting Co. reported fiscal 2026 revenue of KES 238.24 billion ($1.8 billion) and profit of KES 24.99 billion (2.1% increase) during this period.
This retroactive application creates financial barriers for solar users by retroactively imposing costs on net-metering exports. The impact on adoption remains unmeasured as enforcement actions have not been initiated. The 14-month retroactive period suggests charges apply to exports from July 2024 onward.
What to watch: The regulator's failure to issue enforcement notices means the actual financial burden on users is unclear. The 1 MW capacity cap and net-metering framework existed since 2022 draft regulations, but the retroactive implementation has not yet triggered billing actions.
Source: pv magazine