The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) is calling on African countries to work more closely together to lower electricity costs and ensure stable power supply.
Speaking in Nairobi on April 21 during the 7th Research and Innovation Conference, EPRA Acting Director General Joseph Oketch said the current energy challenges facing the region can be solved better if countries join efforts.
He said instead of each country working on its own, there is need for a shared approach where nations support each other in building strong and reliable power systems.
Oketch stated that teamwork will assist in overcoming the challenges that they currently face such as lack of power supply, increase in prices, and increasing electricity demands.
“The current challenges we are having in our countries provide an excellent opportunity for the coming together of countries and solving them,” Oketch argued.
According to EPRA, strengthening relations within the region will aid in improving production, transmission, and distribution. As a result, the prices will become lower, leading to improved quality of power provision.
Moreover, the regulatory body pointed out the need for alignment in terms of policies and regulations among countries in order to ease cross-border cooperation.
One of the suggested measures is implementation of a uniform pricing model and adopting policies aimed at reducing electricity costs.
Moreover, EPRA pointed out that countries in East Africa are beginning to take steps in creating a shared electricity market. Such initiatives will allow for trading of energy, utilizing each country’s potential to stabilize the supply.
Other ongoing projects include M300 which will bring power to millions of individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The conference, involving experts and leaders from various African countries, discussed means for providing electricity at a lower price while maintaining stability of supply amid the growing demand.