The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) announced a sharp increase in electricity tariffs on December 3 following an application by power utility, Zesco Limited.
Zesco had applied for the higher tariffs in October, saying it had to increase the price due to rising costs and a depreciation of the local currency.
The average price of electricity was then raised to 10.35 U.S. cents per kilowatt hour from 6 cents per kilowatt hour.
However, the new tariffs have stirred an outcry with television footages on private local televisions showing consumers protesting, saying the tariffs were abnormal and would worsen their cost of living.
Agness Phiri, ERB director for consumer and public affairs, said the regulator has embarked on a verification exercise to determine whether the power utility had implemented new tariffs in accordance with the regulator’s approval. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
