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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter

ENERGY and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda says there is a need to review electricity tariffs to promote sustainability of the country’s power utility, Zesa.

The power utility has started the process of seeking a tariff review from US$c7,5 to about US$c10 per unit. At the moment the country is bridging electricity supply gaps through imports.

“As you might be aware, we are importing power from outside the country especially during peak hours and more so during this time of the year in winter,” said the minister in a recent interview with ZBCtv.

“Our power is imported at as high as US$0,24c per kilowatt hour whereas we are selling that power from ZWL$07,67c per kilowatt/hour.

“In order for us to achieve what we are envisioning to provide adequate power and sustainable electricity, there is a need for tariffs to be reviewed,” he said.

Minister Soda said a power distribution arm of Zesa, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) was also at the moment failing to meet its debt obligations due to low tariff levels.

– @okazunga