Kenya is set to double its electricity imports from Ethiopia from the current 200 megawatts (MW) to 400MW starting in December 2026, as the country seeks to meet rapidly rising electricity demand and strengthen reliability of the national grid.
The additional power will be transmitted through the Ethiopia-Kenya High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnector, which links Ethiopia’s power system with Kenya’s grid. Technical teams from the two countries are currently conducting tests and reliability assessments before the increased electricity flows begin.
Kenya’s demand for electricity has been growing rapidly. Kenya Power sold 12,792.42 GWh of electricity in the financial year ended June 2026, representing a 12.2 percent increase from the previous year. At the same time, electricity imports from Ethiopia reached 1,584.45 GWh, accounting for about 10 percent of Kenya Power’s total supply.
Under the expanded arrangement, Kenya will be able to receive up to 400MW during peak-demand periods, compared with the previous 200MW. During off-peak periods, imports are expected to be around 150MW, up from approximately 65MW.
The increase comes as Kenya faces pressure to expand generation capacity while electricity consumption rises. Imported Ethiopian hydropower has increasingly helped Kenya meet evening peak demand and reduce pressure on the domestic grid.
The development also strengthens regional electricity trade. The Ethiopia-Kenya transmission line has a much larger technical capacity than the current imports, creating room for future expansion of cross-border power trading in East Africa.
Read more: Kenya Poised to Overtake Ethiopia as East Africa’s Largest Economy in 2025, IMF
