Officers from the Energy and Petroleum Authority (EPRA) shut down an illegal fuel siphoning den in the Karuku area of Kirinyaga County.
In a statement on Sunday, February 23, EPRA revealed that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Energy Police Unit raided the premises confiscating illegal siphoning equipment used in the illegal exercise.
"As part of our surveillance to ensure safe petroleum handling and compliance, our ever-vigilant enforcement team swooped in and busted a fuel siphoning den at Karuku area in Makutano, Kirinyaga County," part of the statement read.
Despite the diligence in the bust, the owner of the facility was not arrested since he fled the scene to avoid arrest.
The suspect is still on the run although a multi-agency team involving both the Energy Police Unit and the National Police Service has launched a manhunt on him.
"We remind the public and petroleum tanker drivers that it is illegal to purchase petroleum products from unlicensed dealers. The safety of the public and all stakeholders remain our top priority," the statement concluded.
Pictures shared of the raid included dozens of 20-litre containers stacked inside the den and other bigger tanks used to store the illegal fuel.
Horse pipes to facilitate the siphoning of this adulterated fuel were also among the items seized at the scene.
This closure comes just two months after EPRA began inspecting energy generation facilities in the country after it was given authority by the International Tracking Standard Foundation (I-TRACK Foundation).
In a statement on December 16, 2024, EPRA announced that the I-TRACK Foundation had a new role and granted them another assignment as the local issuer of the International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC(E).
This move was meant to help inspect energy generation facilities across Kenya to verify that the electricity generated is from renewable sources, a huge step in the full realisation of renewable and sustainable energy by 2030.
“Kenya is on the cusp of achieving 100% renewable energy electricity generation which currently stands at 80.04% contribution to the energy mix," EPRA Director-General Daniel Kiptoo stated.
