EPRA closes 13 petrol stations in crackdown [Full List]

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has taken stern action against 17 fuel stations across Kenya for selling adulterated or export-bound motor fuels in the local market.

In an monitoring effort from July to September 2024, EPRA conducted 5,854 tests at 1,321 sites, revealing that 1.29% of the sampled stations were non-compliant.

The violations ranged from selling super petrol with high sulphur content to offering fuel meant for export to local customers.

Other breaches included the sale of diesel contaminated with domestic kerosene and petrol smuggled from neighboring countries.

As a consequence of these infractions, the affected fuel stations faced various penalties, including complete shutdowns and financial penalties reaching up to Sh304,806.

READ: EPRA issues 4 guidelines to identify counterfeit LPG gases rising in the market

EPRA’s Monitoring Efforts

EPRA’s regulatory responsibility, under Section 92 of the Petroleum Act 2019, is to prevent the adulteration and illegal sale of export-bound fuels.

The authority regularly tests petroleum products across the country to uphold fuel quality standards and prevent illegal trade.

During the last quarter, they achieved a high compliance rate of 98.71%, with most stations adhering to the set regulations.

However, the cases of non-compliance have prompted a strict regulatory crackdown, resulting in several closures and imposed penalties.

To enforce compliance and maintain fuel standards, EPRA has established a hotline (0709 366 000) for the public to report any suspected cases of fuel adulteration.

The authority also provides an SMS service at 40850 and a USSD code (*363#) to facilitate easy reporting of suspected illegal fuel trading activities.

This monitoring ensures that only safe and quality motor fuels are available in the market.