Drastic drop in fuel adulteration after ERC tightens grip on culprits

An illegal fuel depot at Canaan area along Nairobi Mombasa highway near Voi town. /FILE
An illegal fuel depot at Canaan area along Nairobi Mombasa highway near Voi town. /FILE

The level of fuel adulteration has declined from 25 to three percent, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has announced.

In the dailies on Wednesday, the ERC asked the pubic to report suspected cases to authorities.

Motorists were asked to turn to the commission should they experience jerking, excessive smoke from the exhaust, loss of engine power and engine stalls after fueling.

They were also advised to

to obtain receipts or retain SMSs for mobile payment as evidence of purchase.

The ERC uses a marking programme that ensures all kerosene meant for local consumption is marked at the bulk loading depot with a covert chemical marker.

The regulatory body then samples and tests fuels at all petroleum retail stations, and closes/ withdraws the licences of those that test positive for the kerosene marker.

"The marker does not change the properties of the fuel and is harmless to humans and the environment," the regulator noted in the notice.

The agency publishes the names of sellers of adulterated fuel to shame them.

Licensing is restored after those affected upgrade their products pay fines.

Last year, the commission closed

six petrol stations for selling substandard fuel.

They included Legit Kinamba in Nyandarua, Capital filling station Busibwabo in Busia, Sylvester Okoth filing station in Busia, Petronas service station in Kiambu.

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Last month, Petroleum Institute of East Africa announced that up to 75 per cent of 33 million liters of kerosene consumed monthly is used to contaminate diesel and petrol.

“Only five million liters of the monthly consumption is used for lighting and cooking,” PIEA said in a statement.

Early this year, Eqwipetrol chief technical officer Ben Ngugi

reported that

most adulteration happened during transportation of fuel.

Consumption of adulterated fuel leads to excessive engine wear, loss of energy through incomplete combustion and air pollution.

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