ZESCO Corporate Affairs Manager Dr John Kunda has encouraged citizens to make submissions to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) on ZESCO’s proposal to increase electricity connection fees by more than 200%.
Dr. Kunda says what ZESCO is proposing is a true reflection of the cost of connection materials on the market.
He says the approval of the proposed fees by the ERB will enable ZESCO meet the market prices of required connection material thereby enable the utility company dismantle the backlog in new connections of 67,000 as at 31st December, 2021.
Mr Kunda says moving forward, it would take ZESCO three week to connect new customers.
Meanwhile some Lusaka residents talked to in a random interviews feel the proposed increase in fees by ZESCO are way too high for ordinary citizens who may want to electrify their homes considering the prevailing economic conditions in the country.
There has never been a cheaper way for ZESCO to do the connections. Theirs is to only be very realistic and avoid frustrating people in the construction industry as well as those planning to have their homes electrified.
i personal thing by increasing connection fee to more than 200% this will just Liga-rise allot of ili-go connections were in one yard they are all taping from the main house. so ZESCO should find a way which will be ok for both the customer and zesco.
This man is saying that what ZESCO is proposing is a true reflection of the cost of connection materials on the market. Why is he then asking us to comment on something which in their wisdom is what it should be? I SHOOTERZ will comment in August 2026 period!!!
Muppet, are these people the best we have to run these institutions? Let us put a young graduate there not these worn out morons trying to embarrass the President.
In terms of solar energy Zambia is better placed than many countries in the Nothern hemisphere, in terms of hydropower we are better placed than many countries in Africa. We have minerals necessary to manufacture products to generate, distribute electricity and enough land, good weather to grow trees for poles. However, we import everything even copper wire. We can only make business easy for investors. On the way to Copperbelt to create an enabling environment for the investors. We never learn.
Let zesco give a choice to consumers who want connections. Either they pay zesco full connection amount and let zesco connect or they buy the materials which are required for the connection then zesco just provides labor and expertise to connect. Some people may have cheaper sources of poles and cables and some customers connections may be very near which might not require so much material like those that are far but still pay the same standardized fees.
@Garlic Please stop making false claims. We do not “import everything including copper wire”. Copper cables have been manufactured in Zambia since 1968. They are three Copperbelt province based companies that are engaged in this sector. First there’s Luanshya based ZAMEFA . In Ndola there’s EL Sewedy Electrical which manufactures cables and transformers and the Mpongwe based Neelkanth Cables. In Lusaka there’s Zambia Aluminium.
Dear zesco. You cannot increase connection fees by more than 200%.right now people are struggling to have meals in their home.we have this climate change issue caused by so many factors including trees cut to make charcoal.How do you expect people to stop cutting trees for charcoal if that is the only source of energy.your increase will just worsen the already bad situation.. i hear you guys get huge salaries.why dont you cut down on those huge salaries and subsidise the connection fees. Dont over budden zambians. Awe bane…be realistic when you are in offices…you yourselves you will come and taste your own medicine once you live office..so many decisions and policies that willnot hurt you when tables turn… I rest my case.
ERB please dont approve the over 200% increase nooo.
Bally is now fixing you! An old price of K769 increased by K4600 is an increase of about 500%. And old price of K1,430 increased by K15,300 is an increase of about 1000%. Just wait for the new tariffs. Now you will learn to vote wisely
Increasing connection fees to that margin is very barbaric and a hinder to the already struggling economy.we say no such unthinkable suggestions.period.