The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority has acted against 14 petrol stations found to have contravened the regulation that forbids dumping of export-bound fuel and adulteration of fuel.
The 14 were identified after EPRA carried out a total of 5,328 tests at 1,151 petroleum sites across the country between July and September this year.
Out of the sites tested,98.78 per cent were found to be compliant with only the 14 sites found non-compliant.
Offences committed included selling local fuel that is meant for export, offering for sale fuel that is adulterated with kerosene and being in possession of fuel products meant for export without authorization.
EPRA’s action against the 14 included closing down entire stations, closing the offending pumps, impounding transport trucks and arresting owners of the non-compliant establishments.
An illegal site along Rangwe Road in Nairobi’s Industrial area where super petrol meant for export found in Godown was demolished and suspects charged in court.
The 14 stations are spread across 10 counties in the country.
These are Nairobi, Nakuru, Homabay, Bungoma, Marsabit, Busia and Kakamega, Nyamira, Homabay, Taita Taveta, and Murang’a.
Section 92 of the Petroleum Act, 2019 mandates EPRA to monitor petroleum products offered for sale in the local market with the aim of preventing motor fuel adulteration or dumping of export bound fuels.
At the same time, EPRA has acted against eight Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) facilities found to have engaged in malpractices over the three-month period.
The cooking gas facilities were all found to be refilling and trading with LPG cylinders belonging to other licensees without prior written consent, among other offences.
The eight facilities, spread across Nairobi, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Machakos counties, now have cases pending in court over the malpractices.
However, a good number of them have reopened vide a court order after closure.
The Petroleum Act, 2019 and the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Regulations, 2019 require persons to undertake LPG gas business in accordance with the terms issued by the Authority.
