Zimbabwe Hikes Electricity Tariff By 50%

Even when many Zimbabweans are lamenting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in their lives, the country’s energy regulator has allowed the state power company to increase tariffs by 50% from Thursday while another hike by the same margin would come into effect next month.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) had already raised tariffs by 50% on September 23 to bring its rates in line with inflation running above 700%.

The increase would hit residents whose salaries have lagged inflation, while businesses could pass on the cost to consumers.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said in a letter to ZETDC that the government had Okayed the “outstanding tariff adjustments.”

Last year in October, the power company hiked the average electricity tariff by 320% in a bid to ramp up production and improve supplies.

Zimbabwe has managed to keep the lights on since March after businesses were either shut or cut production after a government-imposed lockdown to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.