Oil marketers have been directed to temporarily close fuel stations in places that have been flooded in a bid to ensure they do not sell contaminated fuel.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) announced the decision Wednesday as it moves to protect motorists from contaminated fuel, which leads to damaged engines, pushing them to incur huge costs in repairing or replacing them.
Heavy rains have since last month hit most parts of the country, flooding and submerging businesses, including underground Petroleum Underground Storage Tank (UST) systems or discharge of products to the surface.
“Any retail petrol station which has been flooded should temporarily remain closed and monitored. The retail stations should assess the extent of the flooding, clean up any debris and ensure the quality of its products before resuming operations,” Epra Director General Daniel Kiptoo said in a notice Wednesday.
Epra did not disclose the sanctions for oil marketers who flout the directive amid cases of motorists' reports of being supplied with contaminated fuel.
The Energy Act, 2019 says that oil marketers caught storing, transporting or selling adulterated fuel, commit an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine of not less than Sh5 million or to a term of imprisonment of not less than two years or both.
Nearly all fuel stations in Kenya have underground tanks for storing fuel, making them vulnerable to destruction amid the heavy rains. Some of the oil marketers are set to incur fresh expenses in the coming days to replace damaged UST tanks.
Several consumers in Nairobi have reported cases of buying contaminated fuel at stations in the city, saying that this has led to breakdowns of their vehicle engines. There have also been unconfirmed cases of fuel stations pumping contaminated fuel to the surrounding areas in parts of Nairobi.
Besides hurting consumers, oil marketers whose UST infrastructure has been damaged by the floods have incurred losses through the loss of products that they had already paid for.
UST systems can become submerged or displaced by flood waters or extended periods of heavy rain, leading to damaged systems or even releases of products to the surrounding areas.
Besides contamination of fuel in the USTs, there is also the risk of fuel leaking into the surrounding area, leading to pollution.
More than 120 people have been killed across the country with the death toll likely to rise after the meteorological department warned of increased rains in the coming days.
Epra did not, however, disclose whether it has officially received cases of motorists who have been supplied with contaminated fuel, even as the regulator says that the fuel stations in flooded areas must get clearance before re-opening.
“Based on the severity of the flooding, the retail stations are hereby directed to immediately communicate with relevant government authorities or regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with any necessary protocols or regulations.”
