The price printed in a Kenya Power tariff schedule is only the base energy rate. Every kWh on your bill also carries a fuel cost charge, several levies and VAT. For a typical household on the DC2 tariff, those additions take a KES 18.57 base rate to about KES 28.30 per kWh, roughly 52% more.
That all-in figure is what matters when you compare a solar quote, size a battery or price EV charging, because it is what each kWh of solar actually saves you.
The breakdown for a domestic (DC2) unit
These are the reviewed values StimaPulse uses in its calculations, last checked on 7 October 2026.
| Item | KES per kWh | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Base energy rate (DC2) | 18.57 | Tariff schedule |
| Fuel cost charge (FCC) | 3.51 | Per kWh, changes monthly |
| Forex adjustment (FERFA) | 1.18 | Per kWh, changes monthly |
| Inflation adjustment (INFA) | 0.48 | Per kWh |
| ERC levy | 0.08 | Per kWh |
| Water Resources Authority levy | 0.015 | Per kWh |
| Rural Electrification Programme levy | 0.93 | 5% of the base rate |
| VAT | 3.53 | 16% of the base rate plus fuel cost charge |
| All-in price | 28.30 |
On a 500 kWh month that is about KES 14,150 in energy charges, against KES 9,285 if you only counted the base rate.
All-in prices for every customer class
Time-of-use classes pay a lower rate overnight. The table shows the daytime (peak) rate and the overnight rate where they differ.
| Customer class | Base rate (KES/kWh) | All-in rate (KES/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic lifeline, up to 30 kWh | 12.14 | 20.52 |
| Domestic DC1, 31 to 100 kWh | 16.50 | 25.79 |
| Domestic DC2, over 100 kWh | 18.57 | 28.30 |
| Small commercial SC1, up to 30 kWh | 12.28 | 20.69 |
| Small commercial SC2, 31 to 100 kWh | 16.30 | 25.55 |
| Small commercial SC3, day / night | 19.00 / 9.50 | 28.82 / 17.32 |
| Commercial CI1 (415 V), day / night | 13.44 / 6.72 | 22.09 / 13.96 |
| Commercial CI2 (11 kV), day / night | 12.16 / 6.08 | 20.54 / 13.18 |
| Commercial CI3 (33 kV), day / night | 11.68 / 5.84 | 19.96 / 12.89 |
| E-mobility, day / night | 16.00 / 8.00 | 25.19 / 15.51 |
Commercial CI customers also pay a monthly demand charge per kVA of maximum demand, which solar alone does not reduce. See Kenya electricity tariffs for demand charges, time-of-use hours and sources.
What this means for solar
- Every kWh of solar you use on site saves the all-in price, not the base rate. At KES 28.30, a 5 kW system that produces around 7,000 kWh a year and is fully used on site avoids roughly KES 197,000 of energy charges.
- Daytime use matters most. Solar saves money only when it replaces energy you would otherwise buy. Homes that are empty during the day need a battery, or a smaller system, to get the same value.
- Night rates change the battery case for businesses. On time-of-use tariffs, overnight energy is much cheaper, so storing solar for night use is worth less than using it during the day.
Run the numbers for your bill
The free solar calculator uses these all-in rates for your tariff class to estimate panel size, battery backup and monthly savings from your KPLC bill.