Former Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow on Wednesday, July 5, expressed his frustrations after receiving a Ksh5.6 million electricity bill to his business.
Kerrow lamented that the electricity bill included fuel energy cost, a forex adjustment, and an inflation levy as components of the total monthly price list.
"Electricity bill for a small commercial firm in Kenya. Fuel energy cost, forex adjustment & inflation levy account for Ksh2.5M out of the total amount of Ksh5.6M, which is 45 per cent of this KPLC invoice.
"This is an unacceptable ratio. They can't be 45 per cent of the total cost," Kerrow complained.
In the invoice the Senator shared, a maximum authorised load for Kerrow's business was 650 kVA which the premises reportedly consumed during the month in review.
Other billing details included a High RateConsumption of 135203kWh x 8.7 of Ksh1,176,266.10, Low Rate Consumption of 65353kWh x 8.7 at Ksh568,571.10 and Low Rate Consumption of 24169kWh x 4.35 at Ksh105,135.15.
"It's my business. In fact, last year, the electricity bill was around Ksh4 million. The same consumption capacity of power was around Ksh3 million," Kerrow told Kenyans.co.ke.
The rest included a Maximum Demand of 604kVA x 800 at Ksh483,200.00 and a Fuel Energy Cost on 224725kWh x 8.3 at Ksh1,865,217.50.
On energy cost, Kenya Power asked the business to pay a total of Ksh4,198,389.85, which the politician claimed was too high for the business.
On levies and adjustments, the business was to fork out Ksh486,057.70 for Forex Exchange Adjustment (FERFA) on 224725kWh x 2.1629.
Inflation Adjustment (INFA) on 224725kWh x 0.85 did cost Ksh191,016.25, ERC Levy on 224725kWh x 0.03 at Ksh6,741.75, REP Levy on 1849972.35 x5 at Ksh92,498.62 and WRA Levy on 224725kWh x 0.0067 at Ksh1,505.66, bringing the total levies and adjustments to Ksh777,819.98.
Meanwhile, the Value-added Tax (VAT) on 4198389.85 x 0.16 was pegged at Ksh671,742.38 while a rounding adjustment was filed at -0.21.
In total, Kenya Power asked the business to pay a total of Ksh5,647,952.00 monthly bill, failure to which their power supply will be disconnected.
The cost of electricity in Kenya varies depending on the amount of electricity consumed, the type of customer, and the location.
