Kenya May Need 1,000MW Battery Storage as Power Demand Rises

NAIROBI, August 12, 2026 — Kenya could require about 1,000 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage to manage rising electricity demand, reduce reliance on expensive thermal generation and accommodate increasing levels of renewable energy, energy sector stakeholders have said.

The issue took centre stage at the Kenya Energy Transition Forum 2026, held on August 11, where government officials, energy executives, technology companies and research institutions discussed strategies for strengthening and modernising the country's power system.

The forum was convened by the State Department for Energy under the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, in partnership with Huawei Kenya.

Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira said Kenya had recently recorded a peak electricity demand of 2,549MW, with demand projected to rise to between 2,600MW and 2,650MW by the end of the year as new transmission and generation projects come online.

He said electricity demand drops to between 1,600MW and 1,700MW at night, creating an opportunity to store surplus power and release it during the evening peak.

“It means that we have about 1,000 megawatts that we need to store and we can dispatch it within the four hours that we are having during the evening peak,” Wachira said.

According to the PS, battery storage would help reduce the country's dependence on thermal generation while creating additional capacity to integrate solar and wind power into the national grid.

“The energy transition is therefore not simply about adding more renewable generation. It is also about modernising the electricity grid and transforming the way we plan, operate and manage the power system,” Wachira said.

He identified smart grids, advanced grid management systems, improved forecasting, digitalisation, demand-side flexibility, power electronics and energy storage as key technologies for strengthening grid stability and enabling higher levels of renewable energy integration.

These technologies, he added, would also improve the resilience of the electricity system and help reduce technical and commercial losses.

At the forum, James Sun Quan, Deputy CEO for Public Affairs at Huawei Kenya, said the technology company was open to collaborating with Kenyan stakeholders to support the country's energy transition.

“Technologies such as grid-forming energy storage and smart grid solutions can help Kenya integrate more renewable energy while keeping the grid stable and reliable, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to deliver practical solutions for the country's power sector,” Quan said.

Meanwhile, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Chairman Moses Mabonga said renewable energy sources accounted for 80.17 per cent of Kenya's electricity mix in the financial year ended June 2025, compared with 9.23 per cent for thermal power.

Mabonga attributed the increased use of thermal generation partly to higher electricity demand during the evening peak, particularly between 7pm and 10pm.

The growing evening demand presents a challenge for a power system heavily reliant on renewable sources whose output varies depending on weather and time of day. Energy storage could help bridge this gap by shifting electricity generated during periods of lower demand to periods when consumption is highest.

KenGen Chief Executive Officer Eng. Peter Njenga said the company was also expanding beyond its traditional focus on geothermal and hydropower as it explores additional solar and wind generation opportunities.

Njenga specifically cited the wind potential in Marsabit and Meru, noting that increased deployment of intermittent renewable sources would require new technologies to maintain grid stability.

“Just like it has been explained here, it means then that we have to look at new technologies for us to be able to handle the challenges of grid instability when you introduce intermittency into the grid,” Njenga said.

He said Kenya would need to combine different technologies to maintain a reliable electricity supply.

“To ensure there is security of power, it requires taking all these technologies and bringing them together, mixing them into one energy mix,” he added.

The discussions highlight the growing importance of energy storage as Kenya seeks to meet rising electricity demand while maintaining its position as one of Africa's leading renewable-energy markets.

Wachira urged industry stakeholders to move from discussions to practical solutions, calling for investment, supportive policies and appropriate regulation to accelerate the deployment of energy storage and modern grid technologies.

With electricity demand expected to continue rising, the development of storage capacity could become an increasingly important component of Kenya's strategy to balance supply and demand, reduce reliance on thermal power and integrate more renewable generation into the national grid.