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The Effect of Blackouts on Households Electrification Status: evidence from Kenya

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  • Raul Bajo Buenestado

    (University of Navarra)

Abstract

A number of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have recently deployed billions of dollars to improve their electricity infrastructure. However, aggregate data shows that the relative number of households with an electricity connection at home has barely increased. In this paper we study the role of blackouts to partially explain why there have been relatively few additional households with electricity access despite the increase in electrification expenditure. Using geo-localized survey data from Kenya, we find that households that live in neighborhoods in which power outages are relatively more frequent are (at least) about 6%-9% less likely to have electricity at home. We also find that households that have electricity access but which experience frequent power outages are also less likely to purchase electrical appliances.

Suggested Citation

  • Raul Bajo Buenestado, 2020. "The Effect of Blackouts on Households Electrification Status: evidence from Kenya," Faculty Working Papers 02/20, School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Navarra.
    • Handle: RePEc:una:unccee:wp0220
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    File URL: http://www.unav.edu/documents/10174/6546776/WP_0120/082edae1-6da6-a529-c518-d89f55135c95
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    Cited by:

    1. Abiodun, Kehinde & Gilbert, Ben, 2022. "Does universal electrification shield firms from productivity loss?," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    2. Rodriguez-Alvarez, Ana & Llorca, Manuel & Jamasb, Tooraj, 2021. "Alleviating energy poverty in Europe: Front-runners and laggards," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. Hwai-Shuh Shieh & Syed Ahsan Ali Shah, 2025. "Developing a Fuzzy MCDA-Based Multidimensional Index to Measure Energy Poverty in Developing Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 176(2), pages 499-531, January.
    4. Majid Hashemi, 2021. "The Effect of Reliability Improvements on Household Electricity Consumption and Coping Behavior: A Multi-dimensional Approach," Working Paper 1469, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    5. Hashemi, Majid, 2021. "The economic value of unsupplied electricity: Evidence from Nepal," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    6. Ssennono, Vincent Fred & Ntayi, Joseph M. & Buyinza, Faisal & Wasswa, Francis & Aarakit, Sylvia Manjeri & Mukiza, Chris Ndatira, 2021. "Energy poverty in Uganda: Evidence from a multidimensional approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Jamil, Faisal & Islam, Tanweer Ul, 2023. "Outage-induced power backup choice in Pakistan," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Brown, David P. & Muehlenbachs, Lucija, 2024. "The value of electricity reliability: Evidence from battery adoption," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    9. Amin, Sakib Bin & Chowdhury, Mainul Islam & Jamasb, Tooraj & Khan, Farhan & Nepal, Rabindra, 2023. "Green Energy Finance and Gender Disparity: The Case of Mountain Areas in Bangladesh," Working Papers 2-2023, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
    10. Kazmi, Hussain & Mehmood, Fahad & Shah, Maryam, 2024. "Quantifying residential energy flexibility potential for demand response programs using observational data from grid outages: Evidence from Pakistan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    11. Aweke, Abinet Tilahun & Navrud, Ståle, 2022. "Valuing energy poverty costs: Household welfare loss from electricity blackouts in developing countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    12. Apergi, Maria & Eicke, Laima & Goldthau, Andreas & Kurniawan, Jude & Schuch, Esther & Weko, Silvia, 2024. "Pathways to a sustainable electricity sector in Kenya: Challenges and transformational factors," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    13. Koirala, Dhiroj Prasad & Acharya, Bikram, 2022. "Households’ fuel choices in the context of a decade-long load-shedding problem in Nepal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    14. Imaduddin Ahmed & Priti Parikh & Parfait Munezero & Graham Sianjase & D’Maris Coffman, 2023. "The impact of power outages on households in Zambia," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(3), pages 835-867, October.

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    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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