The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has confirmed that ZESCO has applied to increase electricity tariffs by an average of 75 percent with effect from 1st May, 2017.
ACU First Vice President Muyunda Ililonga says Zambian Consumers should not be burdened with other high costs as they are already bearing the high cost of living.
Mr. Ililonga says government must realize that the people are already struggling to survive.
Yesterday, an Energy expert Johnstone Chikwanda backed plans by ZESCO to increase electricity tariffs by 75 percent, saying the measure will boost the country’s capacity to produce and supply power sustainably.
Mr Chikwanda, who is also Energy Forum Zambia chairperson, said ZESCO’s migration to cost reflective tariffs would significantly cut Government electricity subsidies, enabling the Treasury to channel resources to other needy sectors.
ZESCO has applied to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to hike electricity tariffs up to 75 percent across various consumer categories, with an initial 50 percent increment to be effected on May 1, this year and additional 25 percent on September 1, this year.
ERB has since responded that it is considering ZESCO’s application which the power utility has said was necesitated by the need for the country to attract investment in power generation sector.
Mr Chanda said without energy sector reforms, it would also be difficult for the country to attain the United Nations sustainable development goal number seven on universal access to clean, sustainable and affordable electricity by 2030.
“Zambia’s electrification rate still remains one of the lowest in the world although it has been improving,” Mr Chikwanda said.
“This is more the reason energy sector reforms must be supported”.
He said the amount in subsidies Government had been spending on electricity has gone to supporting industries more than households, hence the subventiin had not significantly assisted in increasing access to electricity at household level.
Zesco should pay a deaf ear to these enemies of success.
75% reasonable and no one in Zambia is complaining.
Thanks
BB2014,16
MUSHOTA CLAP UP WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO ONE IN ZAMBIA IS COMPLAIGNING YOU LITTLE COW JUST GET ON WITH WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING WHERE EVER YOU ARE YOU LITTLE SLUT. YOU ARE IRRITATING.
Just ignore that Jognstone..let Jonstone go back to selling fuel and lubs for cars as that Jonstone if he he the one I know, is just a Kambwanga che, at Energy Expert with that pocket managed energy forum or association that has no office anywhere….!diot..Is not Johnstone who has been an !diot from day one when he accidentally won an election in UNZASU in the Munkobwe/Banda Excecutive..If it this guy please ignore him!!…What ZESCO needs it to is simple basic maths fro business: cut down on overheard and recapitalize…ZESCO is currently so much dead wood in the name of employees, rising its current liabilities in form of salaries and other subsidies for the same dead wood
Please dont Johnstone Chikwanda an enenrgy expert its a great insult to professionals!!
Please dont call Johnstone Chikwanda an Energy expert its a great insult to professionals!!
Exactly, that Jonstone is an !diot..I remember how he has been an !diot from the time he was in UNZASU to this day..lol…What ZESCO needs it to is simple basic maths fro business: cut down on overheard and recapitalize…ZESCO is currently so much dead wood in the name of employees, rising its current liabilities in form of salaries and other subsidies for the same dead wood
Mushota – You work for LT. There is never a day you don’t comment. Do you have anything to do? Or you are sponsored by LT to put annoying and silly comments?
MUSHOTA works for Office of the President
and Zesco must chop down heft salaries for its employees and free power units for all its employees. Surprisingly, esco employees still get free units of up to 30,000 units for an artisan. So, what more senior management staff??? What an abuse of resources. The govt should allow them just to buy like everyone else. Kwasila……!
So, how can the company make profit???
Imagine how can you give so free electricity to employees reminds me of Zambia Airways where the DC10 to NY was full of employees even in Business class all on free tickets and on return flight the aircraft is fully weighed down with business merchandise for employees who are not paying.
Zesco employees must buy electricity units like any other person, this is why companies like UBZ and Zambia Airways failed to run because of free bus and air tickets for the employees and there families.
This company like ZAMTEL will never make a profit as the promote from within…ZESCO the just replace the CEO with the Deputy who has the same mindset and you include political interference its a total mess.
THIS IS TOO HARD AND WE ARE GOING TO FEEL THE BINCH. I AM HAPPY THAT I DO NOT STAY IN TOWN BUT IN THE BUSH WHERE CHARCOAL AND FIRE WOOD IS PLENTY. SOLAR IS MY LIGHT DURING NIGHT TIME.
ZESCO CAN EVEN GO TO 150% INCREMENT, I HAVE MY OWN CHIGAYO AT MY FARM SO NOW BOTHERING, GOAT MEAT, COW MILK, CHICKEN AND BA LUKUMBI HAVE NEVER MISSED IN MY FRIDGE AND NO SINGLE DAY THERE HAS BEEN POWER CUT.
Electrical engineers at mopani mine, chambishi mine, kcm mine, Nfc mine and other companies gets a salary of about 13 000 kwacha on average yet engineers at Zesco at the same level get 28 000 kwacha on average. This little boy chikwanda, he must be one of the boys who ve been buying certificates from UNZA. That’s why this boy can only think after he has said something. Hoooo my poor boy think before you speak
Bachikwanda mukafolepo K600.00 and see the impact of what you are advocating for. I for one would like to see this happen over a period of a minimum of seven years because realistically speaking your salary could have risen by 50% over a seven year period. Imagine a person whose salary has not been increased or was only increased by 5%, You have to think of people on the lower divide. Life is not all about the elite like you. Implement this over a period of 7 years if you want crime and possibly corruption to reduce. Don’t create a nation of desperate people or else the result will be worse than where we are right now.
That Ar.sewhore Johnstone Chikwanda was conceived when his father was pathetically drunk and mother was high on Weed (Lubanje) and doing the prostitution business.
By all means letus not include other peoples parents no matter how bad their deceisions or views on matters that affect us.
By all means let us not include other peoples parents no matter how bad their decisions or views on matters that affect us.
File you reasoning Ask for Cost of Service Study and Impact of Tariff increase as 1st step in tariff increment justification
Will check for the Daily mail and Analyse the Case for Zesco and see the economics behind the Justification
Muyunda is reasoning and thinks about others.
Chikwanda is a foolish greedy Bemba who thinks of himself only!
Another energy excrete not expert at it. The bottom line is, the price increase will be passed on to us the consumers. So whatever this excrete is saying is bull crap. What we are forgetting is that everyone who uses energy in their production cycle will pass this costs to the cost of their products and services which we end up paying for. So there is nothing to be proud of Mr. energy excrete, our salaries have never been increased by 75% since I started breathing. What we will end up paying for is the lack of vision and sheer incompetence by Zesco to invest more during the time they were making profits for future expansion. Its like having more children without planning for it.
My question to all Zambians with the suffering we are going through. Why Zesco workers electricity is free what is special to them. help me
Bane, let is learn to respect professionals with certain expertise. It does not mean that because you knew Johnstone at UNZA then he ceases to be an expert today. Are you monkeys saying that just because you were with someone at UNZA he can not be a good Doctor. I remember many people at UNZA some of whom were Lumpens but today they are respected Doctors, Lawyers, Professors. I was also at UNZA but I am not the same village boy from the remote corner of the country. Live with it my friends, Johnstone is an Energy Expert who is respected by many not only in Zambia but in South Africa and the region. Please bane, expert advice is well informed and important.
it is foolish of government to even think of further burdening the lives of Zambia through zesco tariff increament
The increament is too unreasonable