Some Kenya Power customer classes can be billed on a time-of-use basis, with energy between 22:00 and 06:00 charged at half the daytime base rate. After levies and VAT, the gap between day and night is large enough that simply moving flexible loads into the night can cut a bill noticeably, with no new equipment at all.
How big the gap is
All-in rates per kWh, including the fuel cost charge, levies and VAT, from StimaPulse's reviewed tariffs:
| Customer class | Day (06:00 to 22:00) | Night (22:00 to 06:00) | Saving per kWh moved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small commercial SC3 | KES 28.82 | KES 17.32 | KES 11.50 |
| Commercial CI1 (415 V) | KES 22.09 | KES 13.96 | KES 8.13 |
| E-mobility (EV charging) | KES 25.19 | KES 15.51 | KES 9.68 |
Time-of-use billing applies on application and subject to Kenya Power's conditions for your connection, so confirm your eligibility and meter before planning around it.
Loads that move easily
- Water pumping: fill tanks at night and supply by gravity during the day. A bigger tank is cheap compared with the energy saved.
- Water heating: heat a well-insulated storage cylinder overnight for morning and daytime use in hotels, hostels and kitchens.
- Cold rooms and freezers: pull the temperature a few degrees lower at night and let it drift up during the day, within food safety limits.
- EV and forklift charging: charge fleets overnight at the depot.
- Batch processes: milling, grinding, washing and other work that does not need daytime staff.
- Ice making: make ice at night for cooling during the day.
What it can save
| Example | Energy moved | Monthly saving |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel on SC3: water heating and pumping | 40 kWh a day, 30 days | about KES 13,800 |
| Factory on CI1: milling and cold store pre-cooling | 300 kWh a day, 26 days | about KES 63,400 |
| Delivery fleet on e-mobility: ten vans charged overnight | 244 kWh a day, 26 days | about KES 61,400 |
The factory example adds up to about KES 760,000 a year from scheduling alone.
Watch the demand charge
CI customers also pay a monthly charge on maximum demand. If moving loads stacks them on top of each other, for example starting all the pumps and the mill at 22:00, you can set a new maximum and lose part of the saving. Stagger the starts. Our article on KPLC demand charges explains how they work.
When solar flips the advice
Once a site has solar, the cheapest energy is no longer at night. It is at midday, when the panels are producing and every kWh used on site is almost free. The best schedule then becomes:
- Move flexible loads into the solar hours (roughly 09:00 to 16:00) first: pumping, water heating, pre-cooling and daytime fleet charging.
- Use the time-of-use night rate for what cannot run in the sun, such as overnight vehicle charging.
- Leave the expensive evening hours (from sunset to 22:00) as empty as possible.
This is also why a battery is often a weaker investment for a business on a time-of-use tariff: storing midday solar for the night only replaces cheap night energy. Storing it for the evening, before 22:00, is worth more.
Plan your schedule
- Kenya electricity tariffs lists the reviewed time-of-use rates and windows for each class.
- The free solar calculator shows how much of your use falls in solar hours.
- For fleets, see EV charging infrastructure; for pumping, the solar water pumping guide.