The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved an 18.65% tariff increase effective from 1 April 2023, an increase South Africans can ill afford.
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According to Nersa, Eskom intends to recover R351 billion through the tariff hike for 2023/24. The power utility hopes to recover R381 billion in 2024/25.
A decision on Eskom’s application of November 2022 for a tariff increase was meant to be announced at the end of November 2022, but due to discrepancies and guidance needed in a very limited time period, the matter was postponed to today, 12 January 2023.
Nersa said, “Certain numbers didn’t tally, and the regulator was asked to expand the work.”
Eskom says that the delay in a tariff increase has impacted its financial outlook for the year ahead, stating that it is on track for a loss of R20.1 billion in 2023, not accounting for any tariff increase.
According to the troubled power utility, it managed to reduce its loss from R25 billion to R12.3 billion for the 2021/22 financial year, which was largely attributed to a 15% increase in the price of electricity and feels confident that yet another increase in 2023 will reduce its losses even more.
South Africans will now pay the price and bear the brunt for the shortcomings of our failing power utility.
As if the constant loadshedding wasn’t enough, we are now burdened with paying 18.65% more for sitting in the dark.
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