JOHANNESBERG, Aug 19 – Electricity bills could become more transparent under a revised electricity pricing policy announced by Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on Tuesday.
Ramokgopa said the new policy is aimed at making electricity more affordable and ensuring consumers are not unfairly charged for costs linked to inefficiencies, municipal debt and non-payment.
The revised policy will introduce a clearer and more cost-reflective electricity tariff structure. Under the proposed system, electricity bills will have to show consumers how their charges are calculated.
Ramokgopa said the goal is to make it easier for consumers to understand what they are paying for instead of having to deal with costs that are not clearly explained.
“What we’re also doing with the pricing policies is to provide a framework for transparent and efficient cost-reflective tariffs,” Ramokgopa said.
Under the proposed system, electricity bills will be broken down into separate charges. These will include energy and generation costs, transmission and distribution network charges, ancillary services and municipal surcharges.
This means consumers will be able to see how the different costs add up to the final amount on their electricity bill. Ramokgopa said the changes should also make it clearer how municipalities and Eskom arrive at the amounts consumers are required to pay.
“It must be able to itemise how the municipality or Eskom has arrived at that which they say you owe the municipality or you owe Eskom,” he said.
The revised pricing policy is therefore expected to give electricity consumers a clearer breakdown of their bills and the costs behind the charges they are required to pay.
