The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has shut down an illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) bulk storage facility in Mariakani, Kilifi County.
In a statement issued on March 11, the regulator noted that the facility had been operating without the required construction permits and operational licences, posing a significant risk to public safety.
The illegal site, located in the Shangia area of Mariakani, was discovered through intelligence reports.
EPRA Shuts Down Illegal LPG Storage Facility in Crackdown on Unlicensed Operators. Photo: Courtesy.
“Our Enforcement and Surveillance officers, working with the National Police Service, National Government Administration Officers, and Kilifi County Government, have successfully decommissioned an illegal LPG bulk storage facility at the Shangia area in Mariakani, Kilifi County. The facility, discovered through intelligence reports, was operating without construction permits or operational licenses and posed a serious public safety risk,” EPRA noted.
EPRA enforcement and surveillance officers carried out the operation in collaboration with the National Police Service, National Government Administration Officers, and the Kilifi County Government.
According to the authority, the owner of the facility had earlier been issued with a decommissioning notice instructing them to surrender the site.
However, the owner of the LPG facility failed to comply with the directive, prompting the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to move in and shut down the site.
The regulator said the facility’s owner will face legal action under the Petroleum Act, Cap 308, as part of efforts to enforce safety and compliance within the sector.
EPRA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public safety and ensuring that LPG infrastructure operates under strict regulatory standards.
The development comes months after the authority exposed several fuel stations selling adulterated fuel across the country.
In a statement issued on December 31, EPRA revealed that it had conducted 4,394 fuel quality tests at 967 petroleum stations nationwide.
