Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) is expecting to establish a framework to guide the pricing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by June next year, according to a local daily.

Petrol, diesel, and kerosene prices are adjusted mid-month and stay in place for a month. However, the cooking gas prices are not controlled, costing nearly 3,100 Shillings to refill a 13-kilogramme cylinder.

EPRA Director-General Daniel Kiptoo said the authority is already looking for a consultant to help define the LPG pricing framework, thus enhancing the efficiency of the sector’s regulations.  

A few private firms currently control the market, the newspaper said. 

In addition, the government intends to launch an open tender system to import cooking gas where the lowest bidder will be permitted to ship in the commodity for a specific import cycle. 

According to EPRA, the absence of an LPG open-tender system is a significant cost determinant as landing costs average nearly 60 percent of total retail prices.

Kenya plans to build a new state-owned terminal to immediately offload LPG from ships for distribution by trucks.

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com)