In this interview, we speak with Daniel Bungey, Future Energy Leader at the World Energy Council, who shares insights into Kenya’s progress in implementing smart metering systems.
The discussion explores how the country’s utilities and private developers are adopting digital metering solutions, what stage the rollout has reached, and which policies, technologies, and strategies are shaping the next steps toward a smarter and more efficient energy future.
Daniel also reflects on the challenges facing Kenya’s utilities, from interoperability and regulatory coordination to the need for a clear national roadmap that can accelerate large-scale smart metering deployment.
Could you share more about your involvement and specific projects related to the rollout of smart meters?
Throughout my career, I have worked extensively in the area of energy digitalization, engaging in projects that span both consumer-end solutions and utility-scale systems. I began by developing and implementing building management systems and energy monitoring tools designed to help commercial and industrial consumers in Kenya improve efficiency and better understand their consumption patterns. These early projects integrated smart meters and digital tools for real-time energy tracking and control.
Over time, my focus expanded toward the utility side of operations. I have worked with mini-grid developers that integrate energy technology components, including smart meters, as well as with central grids such as Kenya Power, which plays a key role in the country’s energy transition. This cross-sector experience has given me the opportunity to understand both consumer-facing technologies and large-scale utility systems, and how they must evolve together to achieve reliable and efficient power distribution.
Beyond Kenya, my work has extended across Africa and Southeast Asia, where many utilities face similar challenges, particularly around reducing losses and improving operational efficiency. From field deployments to regulatory compliance, and strategic planning, I have seen how digitalization can redefine the performance of energy systems. In my view, smart metering is not just about technology integration. It represents a crucial foundation for data-driven decision-making, accurate measurement, and improved control across the energy value chain.
What is the current status of smart metering system implementation in Kenya, in terms of technology and stakeholders?
Kenya is still at an early stage in its smart metering journey. The country is navigating a transition from traditional metering methods to more advanced, connected systems as part of a broader grid modernization agenda. Implementation has been gradual, influenced by infrastructure readiness, funding priorities, and customer segmentation.
There are two primary groups driving this transition. The first are mini-grid developers, mainly private entities, who integrate smart meters by default as part of their business model. For them, digitalization is essential to ensure accurate billing, protect revenue, and build investor confidence. Over the last decade, the rise of off-grid and mini-grid systems for energy access across Africa has naturally included smart metering as a core component.
The second group is the national utility, Kenya Power, which serves about ten million customers. Its approach has evolved from manual metering to Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and now toward Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Currently, only about five percent of total connections are equipped with smart meters, with deployment primarily focused on large commercial and industrial consumers who account for the majority of revenue. Roughly ninety percent of that segment is already covered by smart meters, while smaller and residential consumers mostly rely on prepaid meters that allow flexible top-ups via mobile phones or physical cards.
Kenya Power continues to operate a mixed metering environment that includes manually read, prepaid, and smart systems. Communication protocol is primarily based on GPRS technology, although other options are being tested to enhance reliability and scalability. Overall, the transition remains a gradual process guided by practical experience, financial capacity, and the need to maintain operational stability as adoption expands.
Are there national plans or strategies that foresee a large-scale rollout of smart meters in the coming years? How are regulatory bodies in Kenya guiding or encouraging this process?
At the moment, Kenya does not have a unified national smart metering strategy that defines a detailed roadmap for large-scale implementation. However, several complementary policies indirectly support the transition toward digital metering. These include frameworks focused on energy efficiency, net metering, time-of-use tariffs, and grid modernization. Collectively, they create an enabling environment, even though they do not yet converge into a single, coordinated plan.
Kenya Power and other utilities have therefore adopted a gradual, internally driven approach. Projects are typically financed through internal budgets or integrated into broader electrification programs supported by government or development partners. While this approach allows progress to continue, it also highlights the need for a national strategy that aligns policy, regulation, and investment.
The current development can be described as organic, shaped more by operational needs and technological evolution than by regulation. However, to achieve full-scale adoption, Kenya will need a clear national roadmap that brings together key stakeholders, defines long-term priorities, and provides a framework for collaboration. Such a plan would ensure that smart metering evolves from a series of independent initiatives into a coordinated national system that supports the country’s digital energy transition.
Kenya’s progress in smart metering remains at an early but promising stage, driven by both mini-grid developers and the national utility. While private initiatives are leading in innovation, large-scale deployment still depends on the utility’s ability to modernize its infrastructure and expand beyond high-revenue customers.
The country’s transition toward digital metering is being guided more by practical needs and technological adaptation than by formal regulation. Without a unified national roadmap, progress continues in a fragmented manner, limiting the pace and coherence of implementation.
To fully realize the benefits of smart metering, Kenya will need a coordinated national strategy that unites utilities, regulators, and private actors under shared goals. Such alignment would accelerate deployment, improve efficiency, and strengthen the foundation for a data-driven, resilient energy system.
What role should policy alignment and institutional collaboration play in transforming Kenya’s pilot projects into a nationwide smart metering program?