More Zesa Tariff Hikes Coming

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) on Thursday increased domestic electricity tariffs by 50 percent, the second such raise in a week.The ZESA subsidiary – struggling to pay for power imports – warned consumers of another increase on November 1.Consumers were already smarting after the power utility on September 23 announced a 50 percent tariff increase.In that round of increases, power usage between 0-50 KW was pegged at Z$0.74 per kilowatt up from Z$0.49 and consumers in the typical small family band of 201 and 301 KW saw tariffs go up from Z$2.94 per kilowatt consumed to Z$4.41.The 51-200 KW went up to Z$1.63 per KwH from Z$1.08 previously while heavy domestic power users requiring upward of 301 KW per month were set a new tariff of Z$6.92 up from Z$4.61 per KwH.In a fresh wave of increases announced on Thursday, the power utility raised the first 50 kilowatts from Z$0.74 to Z$1.19 making it Z$59.50, while the first 200 KW will now cost Z$387 at Z$2.58 KwH.The third band which begins from 201 to 300KW will be sold at Z$7 per KwH, translating to Z$700.Zesa says it owes coal suppliers and regional power companies in excess of US$80 million, which it hopes to raise through hiking tariffs.-ZimLive