via Zesa tightens tariffs – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 25, 2014
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of Zesa Holdings, is next week set to re-introduce stepped pre-payment tariffs for domestic consumers to replace the current flat rate.
ZETDC said customers risked losing their $0,02 monthly life line if they exhausted purchased units within a month.
“In its award of the 2014 electricity tariffs, the Zimbabwe Energy Regularity Authority (Zera) has directed the re-introduction of a stepped pre-payment tariff for domestic consumers to replace the current flat rate with effect from 1st September,” ZETDC said.
The first 50-kilowatt-hour (kwh)would be billed at 2c per unit while those who consume between 51kwh and 300kwh are charged at 11 cents per unit.
Those who exceed the 300 units are charged at a higher charge of 15c per unit.
“The introduction of the stepped domestic payment tariff will now require consumers to use electricity more efficiently.
“Heavy domestic users will pay more for their consumption.
“In every calendar month, customers are afforded a life line rate of $0,02 for first 50kwh.
“The next 250kwh (51 to 300kwh) in the same calendar month is charged at $0,11 and the balance in excess of 300kmw within same calendar month will be charged at $0,15.”
The power utility said the life line is applicable within each calendar month.
If a customer buys $28,50 worth of electricity, the units would be $1 for first 50kwh and $27,50 for 51-300kwh.
“If the same customer comes for a second purchase within the same month using the same amount of money ($28,50) the customers will get 190kwh and not 300kwh as in the first purchase of that month.
“This is because at second purchase, the customer will have exhausted the life line benefit.”
Zesa rolled out prepaid meters in 2011 to encourage the efficient use of electricity in the wake of demand outstripping generation capacity.
As outlined in ZimAsset, the government’s economic policy blueprint, Zimbabwe has a target of installing 800 000 prepaid meters by the end of this year.
To date 377 552 have already been installed by Solahart, ZTE (a Chinese company), Finmark and Nyamazela of South Africa.
An additional 300 000 meters are supposed to be installed by the end of this year.
COMMENTS
Please spare us this terrible jargon trying to justify your unwarranted misguided increase to cover your operational inefficiencies.
I hope that your minister should also apply this formula to your monthly electricity allowance equivalent to $150,then you will realise that you are being cruel to the poor masses.You know for sure that anything less than 300 units per month is just not enough for an average household with 4 people.What you are telling us is that your charges are now about 20% up as from the first of September.This is to cater for your staff salaries since they have been trying to take industrial action to force you to give them an increase regardless of their poor workmanship.
What a joke you are ,after giving us poorly planned load shedding then you have the cheek to increase charges using silly unprofessional excuses to punish the masses due to your poor management and total inefficiency.Streamline your organisation and get well qualified personnel to run it.
such changes should be applied kana magetsi asisaende nt now
Thank you Mixed Race. You have just said it like it is. Consumer council where are you. Another rip off
Again the small fish pays and the big wigs get off scott free.
help me – is 1 kwhour = to 1 unit – that ZESA sells for 2 cents US ??
Yes but what is 50 kWatt hr when you have to cook and see how it rises to 15 cents after the 300 kWatts hr.They give themselves over 1000 units or kWatts hr because they know that if you are to cook the 300 kWatts is not adequate,unless its for lighting and fridges only.We are qualified engineers with vast experience in these fields so cheap propaganda cannot be used to cheat us.
VERY FUNNY JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY ZIMBABWE WILL NEVER BECOME A INDUSTRIAL HUB.JUST A TRADING POST ,WITH NO LIGHTS.PROBLEM IS ZESA DOES WHAT IT LIKES AND SEEMS TO BE ABOVE THE LAW.PROBABLY POLITICALLY CONNECTED SO UNTOUCHABLE.PRIVATIZE THE WHO LOT AND GIVE IT TO A FEW PLAYERS THAT WOULD BE THE ANSWER.