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Mr Gwasira

Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company is set inflict heavy financial penalties on consumers who waste electricity by introducing stepped prepayment tariffs which take into account monthly power consumption. Under the stepped domestic prepayment tariff, consumers will pay up to 15 cents a kilo watt hour (kWh) if they exceed a certain limit. At present, pre-paid electricity costs one cent per KWh irrespective of consumption.

The move is meant to reduce excessive electricity consumption in a country where there is a deficit in power generation and could see people who waste electricity paying up to 36 percent more than those who use power sparingly.

Zesa spokesperson Fullard Gwasira said research showed that most families in Zimbabwe used at most 300 kWh monthly thus the need to ensure people do not waste electricity.

“This reintroduction is against all those who waste electricity. The tariffs will not affect everyone but those who consume more electricity.
“We used to have these tariffs in 2009 and we have since reintroduced them so we save energy,” said Gwasira.

Under the new tariff structure announced by ZETDC, a consumer buying electricity worth $28.50 for the first time in a calendar month, will get 300kWh broken down as two cents for the first 50kWh and 11 cents for the other 250 kHw.

“If the same customer comes for a second purchase within the same month using the same amount of money for example $28.50 needed to purchase 300 kWh, he will yield only 190 kWh as we will be charging using $0.15,” Gwasira said.

ZETDC said yesterday tariffs will be consumption based with effect from September 1.
“The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has directed the reintroduction of a stepped pre-paid tariff for domestic customers to replace the current flat rate. The reintroduction tariff will now require consumers to use electricity more efficiently and the balance in excess of 300 kWh within a month will be charged at $0.15,” ZETDC said in a statement.

As of last Friday, Zesa was generating 1,447 MW from its five generation plants at Hwange, Kariba, Bulawayo, Harare and Munyati while the county needs more than 2,000 MW. This has forced the power utility to introduce load shedding while other power saving initiatives such as promoting use of energy saver bulbs are being promoted.