Swift Energy Distributor’s licence revoked for flouting laws

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has revoked a licence held by Swift Energy Distributors Limited for Storage and Filling of LPG cylinders.

The revocation follows an enforcement operation carried out by EPRA last week after the Machakos-based firm was found in breach of the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Regulations, 2019.

The regulator said the company has on three other occasions been found in breach of Legal Notice 100 of 2019, with the matters ongoing at the Mavoko Law Courts.

"EPRA hereby issues a stern warning to all LPG brand owners, facility owners and traders that failure to comply with Legal Notice No. 100 of 2019 especially with regard to the requirement of obtaining consent from an LPG cylinder brand owner before filling and trading,'' the regulator said in a statement. 

 It added that it shall not hesitate to prosecute persons in breach of the  requirement in line with the provisions of Sections 99(1)(m) of the Petroleum Act No. 2 of 2019.

Last year, Kenya enacted laws aimed at putting an end to illegal refilling by disbanding the LPG cylinder exchange pool that previously allowed up to 50 marketers to sell gas to end customers.

The trend often led to a number of illicit cylinder refilling operations.

The law intends to protect consumers from accidents caused by damaged and faulty cylinders, which have been on the rise in the last decade.

The reform allows oil marketing companies to get together and form a mutual LPG exchange agreement to enhance their access to the LPG cylinder market.