The Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) has welcomed the planned importation of electricity from neighboring countries.
ZAM vice president Chipego Zulu says the move will allow industries to continue operating without any disturbances.
Ms. Zulu, however, states that any increase in tariffs as a result of the importation of power should only cover the period of importation and not beyond.
She told ZNBC that ZESCO should not use this period to permanently increase the tariffs without consulting stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Ms. Zulu said that the association is not opposed to ZESCO coming up with cost-reflective tariffs.
She said this should, however, be done upon explaining to stakeholders the actual cost of producing electricity.
Ms. Zulu said it will be difficult for ZESCO to get the support of the people on the possible introduction of cost-reflective tariffs if they do not appreciate and understand the cost of producing electricity.
Zambians are gullible, no questions asked? $13.5m for import, $7m for transmission=$21m. That’s the total but how much quantity are we buying and at what unit price? For how many hours? Is the price economic?
Wait until you get your bill!
Zambians are backwards ….PF found a formula to siphon cash from dry grz coffers….no wonder Eddie wants christianity enshrined in constitution to ensure that yue last dosage of opium is delivered. Vonse ni amen……i am sick to the stomach.
I understood that the subsidy on the first 300 units will be suspended until imports cease, am I correct?
Energy is economic growth and development. Fuel or electric power. Government must play its role and subsidize.
Iam of the opinion that the USD21m that will be spent on importation of power PER MONTH be channeled towards buying drugs in hospitals. Serious manufacturing organisations like Dangote and Zambia Sugar generate their own power. Government is saying the importation of about 450MW will only help reduce load shedding to about 6 hours a day not that we shall eliminate load shedding. Yet it would cost that much for 6 hrs of load shedding!
Maamba had issued a statement over 10 days ago that they would repair their plant in a month’s time and will bring onto the grid, 400MW. So we have 20 days to go. I therefore urge government to just wait for Maamba and also for the rain season to comes. We can afford to pay extra USD 21m for power still being load shedding for 6 hours. We are all making…
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Royalty is mad.They cancel the queen’s speech.Peter Carlos Hinds.
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Education what?You could do a degree in jail.Peter Carlos Hinds.
Tarrif increase does not make any sense to anyone. Consumers do not receive free electrocity. House holds are buying electrify units in full but ZESCO fails to provide the electricity the service in full. Increase tarrifs to enrich ZESCO employees does not make sense. Where does the surplus money for which house holds are paying go? ZESCO engineers are too outdated and greedy to provide innovative quality service to clientele. We need a new electricity service provider. ZESCO is a failed project. Mr. President, dont listen to the trush being proposed here. Your people are over burdened with price increase for every commodity. Serve us from this ZESCO proposal as you did earlier in the year. We are suffering too much as citizens from these business houses whose only solution is price…