National power utility Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has announced new electricity tariff increase to take effect from the 1st of March, piling more burdens on the already hard-pressed citizens.
In a statement, Zesa subsidiary company, the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC) said the increase were as a result of the exchange rate and inflation.
“The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has adjusted the electricity tariffs by 19.02%. This is in accordance with the Tariff Award of 2 October 2019, which approved implementation of monthly tariff indexation formula that takes into account the movement of macroeconomic fundamentals such as exchange rate and inflation for changes above 10%,” read the statement.
This means that the first 50 units of electricity that was pegged at ZWL$20.50 will now be ZWL$24.50 meaning that the first 50 units will now be ZWL$0.49 cents per kWh up from ZWL$0.41 cents.
The next 150 units will now cost ZWL$162.00 up from ZWL$136.50, following the increase electricity tariff will be ZWL$1.08 per kWh up from ZWL$0.91 cents
The 200 units of electricity which had been sold at a lower price will now cost ZWL$186.50 up from ZWL$157.
Any electricity purchased after the 200 units have been consumed will now cost ZWL$4.61 up from ZWL$3.87 per kWh.
Zimbabwe has been battling electricity shortage owing to low water levels at Kariba Dam and foreign currency shortages among other issues.
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