ZESCO has not yet effected tariff increment – Mabumba

Energy Minister David Mabumba says the proposed 50% initial increase in electricity tariffs by ZESCO which was supposed to come into effect on 1^st May, 2017 has not been effected.

Mr. Mabumba says this is because the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has not yet approved the application by ZESCO to hike the tariffs by 75 percent.

He says the ERB is still consulting the public on the application by ZESCO before deciding to increase the tariffs or not.

Mr. Mabumba has explained to QTV News in an interview that within the Electricity Act there are provisions for democracy which mandates the ERB to subject the matter to public hearing and that this is what the regulation is doing.

He says the ERB can then decide either to approve the application by ZESCO or reject it in accordance with the submissions of the public.

And Mr. Mabumba says President Edgar Lungu’s statement during the Labour Day celebrations was to merely emphasize the important need for the country to migrate to cost reflective tariffs in order to allow other players to come and invest in the energy sector and subsequently reduce the cost of electricity.