Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has told the Senate that the inclusion of wayleave charges in the energy bills would increase the cost of electricity by up to 30 per cent.

Wandayi told the Energy Committee that the charges currently stand at Sh63.8 billion. "If Kenya Power Lighting Company is asked pay for the wayleaves, then that cost will have to be catered for by someone since it would be included in the tariff.

This will eventually end up to consumers which is not our intention," he said.

He said the KPLC is owed Sh4.7 billion by the county governments and urged them to pay for street lighting and power consumption.