What a kilowatt-hour costs a data centre.
Power is the largest operating cost line, so the tariff structure deserves tracker treatment. Every figure below says how it is established: a published tariff, a DC254 benchmark estimate from that structure, or a reported range, because a benchmark that hides its basis is just a rumour with a table.
KES 13-16/kWh
Blended energy · 24/7 load, TOU-weighted
KES 300-500/kVA
Demand charge · per month, on max demand
KES 15-20/kWh
All-in effective · incl. levies & pass-throughs
Sep 2026
Dataset verified · benchmarks re-checked
The benchmark table
Indicative ranges, not quotes. Large consumers above roughly 1 MW typically negotiate bespoke agreements with Kenya Power against committed volume and multi-year terms, so a specific facility's all-in rate can land outside these bands.
Energy charge, off-peak (22:00-06:00)benchmark estimate
from ~KES 10/kWh
Lowest TOU band for large commercial and industrial customers; surplus geothermal base-load sets the floor.
Energy charge, peak (18:00-22:00)benchmark estimate
up to ~KES 18/kWh
Evening surge band. A 24/7 data centre load mostly avoids the peak band's cost weighting.
Blended average energy chargebenchmark estimate
KES 13-16/kWh
Weighted across TOU bands for a constant 24/7 load pattern, the normal operating case for a data centre.
Effective all-in costbenchmark estimate
KES 15-20/kWh ($0.10-0.13)
Blended energy charge plus demand charges, fuel levy and other pass-through costs.
Demand chargebenchmark estimate
KES 300-500 per kVA per month
A 2 MVA contracted demand carries KES 600,000-1,000,000 per month on demand charges alone; peak-draw management is a core competency.
Pass-through costs and leviesbenchmark estimate
+15-25% on the base energy charge
FECC, inflation and forex adjustment charges, and the renewable energy levy, each small per-kWh additions that compound.
Regional comparison: KenyaReported range
KES 15-20/kWh effective
Competitive in Africa, strengthened by a 90%+ renewable grid mix and Nairobi's free-cooling climate.
Regional comparison: South AfricaReported range
KES 15-22/kWh, +20-40% effective
Similar published rates, but load shedding adds generator fuel, battery wear and operational complexity.
Regional comparison: NigeriaReported range
up to KES 50+/kWh effective
Grid tariff KES 20-35/kWh plus KES 30-50/kWh of diesel self-generation; roughly three times the Kenyan all-in cost.
Regional comparison: Egypt / EthiopiaReported range
KES 8-12 / KES 6-10 per kWh
Subsidised gas (Egypt) and hydro (Ethiopia) set the regional floor; both trade against grid reliability and connectivity.
Where the numbers come from
The full working, PUE effects and negotiation levers: Kenya power tariffs for data centres . Grid reliability and the generation mix: power reliability explainer. Verified 2026-09; EPRA reviews adjust tariffs periodically, so figures carry their check date.