The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has announced a revolutionary new initiative to address the persistent issue of LPG cylinder theft in Kenya. The agency is set to roll out an advanced tracking system designed to enhance security across the LPG sector and protect consumers, investors, and industry stakeholders.
EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo revealed the new system during a meeting with Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
“The Authority is on course to roll out the cylinder track and trace technology as part of its strategy of utilising technology in implementing the strategy.” Kiptoo stated.
This advanced tracking system is a critical component of EPRA’s broader overhaul of the LPG Regulations 2019 (Legal Notice 100), which aims to transform the LPG landscape in Kenya.
This technological upgrade aligns with EPRA’s ambitious growth strategy, approved by the Cabinet in October 2023, which seeks to transition 80 percent of the population from traditional biomass fuels to cleaner LPG by 2026.
Additionally, the strategy aims to increase the average LPG consumption per person from 6.5 kg to 15 kg. Key focus areas of the strategy include improving LPG infrastructure, enhancing availability in schools, subsidizing cylinders, and advancing legal and regulatory reforms.
Cabinet Secretary Wandayi emphasized the urgency of these changes, highlighting the widespread reliance on firewood and partial use of LPG.
“Many Kenyans are either partially using LPG or relying entirely on firewood. This includes public institutions such as schools, prisons, hospitals, and state security agencies,” Wandayi said. He stressed, “Our goal is to eliminate the negative environmental and health impacts associated with these practices.”
In response to concerns about illegal refilling, Kiptoo also noted EPRA’s plans to collaborate with other government agencies, including the Kenya Revenue Authority, to establish an integrated tracking system for bulk LPG road tankers.
“The Authority is in the process of engaging a service provider stationed at all the LPG entry points in Kenya to undertake compliance verification of all LPG tankers entering the Country to the points of discharge of the bulk gas,” Kiptoo explained. “This shall ensure accountability of all cylinders being filled matches the bulk gas offloaded.
