Stakeholders form coalition to advance safety in energy and petroleum sector
It will conduct education and awareness on safety practices and standards in the sector, and promote compliance with safety regulations
Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) hosted over 300 stakeholders in the energy and petroleum sector to form a national coalition aimed at promoting public safety in the use of LPG, electricity, and petroleum products.
The energy regulator underscored the importance of multi-sector collaboration to secure sustainable gains in safety. The Energy and Petroleum Statistics report indicates that as at June 2024, there were 153 electrical accidents reported, up from 116 in the previous financial year. It further indicates that there were 49 petroleum incidents and accidents reported compared to 51 from the previous year.
Speaking during the National Stakeholders Conference, EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo said: “The Coalition for Safety(C4S) has been formed under the Kaa Safe Mtaani campaign to encourage a culture of safety in the sector, and to make sustainable gains through public and private sector collaboration. It’s time that everyone in the energy and petroleum value chains takes personal responsibility for safety in order to build trust and adequately prepare for advancements we are seeing in the sector.”
The coalition will advance education and awareness on safety practices and standards in the sector, and promote compliance with safety regulations among all stakeholders in the energy and petroleum value chain. The initiative comes barely a year after the Mradi gas refilling plant explosion and following reported accidents and incidents involving LPG and petroleum tankers which have led to loss of lives.
Energy Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the campaign was timely since the government is investing in the sector to ensure that every citizen has access to affordable and reliable energy.
“The projects we are seeing across electricity, LPG, and petroleum are not only designed to increase access to sustainable energy and petroleum, but also to raise the urgent need for safety in the sector. In the electricity sub-sector, the government continues to expand the national grid and increase electricity access through the Last Mile Connectivity Programme where thousands of underserved citizens are being targeted, hence for some people, this will be the first time they interact with issues that come with electrical safety.”
Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban reiterated the importance of safety in the LPG sector as a way to protect the environment.
“Safety continues to be a core issue in the petroleum sector. The safe use of petroleum and LPG products goes beyond promoting good health and environmental sustainability to encouraging growth in the economic sector and ensuring energy security. People want assurance that the products they are using will not cause harm to them, their families or loved ones and once they are convinced, adoption come a step closer.
As you are aware, petroleum products remain the dominant source of enabling transportation, industries, and power generation. LPG, on the other hand, is increasingly recognized as a cleaner alternative for cooking fuel, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. Both sectors are fast growing, making this Conference more important.”
He said the government removed VAT on imported LPG to promote increased adoption of LPG as an alternative cleaning cooking source as opposed to firewood, open stoves and the charcoal burners. EPRA data for 2023-2024 shows that this resulted in an eight percent increase in LPG consumption to slightly above 360,000 metric tons.
