The nation will this coming Monday, February 1, find out whether or not electricity tariff will increase during the coming financial year as per the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) proposal.

EEC forwarded a proposal to the Eswatini Regulatory Authority (ESERA) requesting the regulator a review of 7.16% of the year 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 electricity tariff.

As detected by the country’s Tariff Methodology of 2012, the Energy Regulator began a nationwide consultation exercise in order to engage electricity customers about the application.

The process served as part of an independent information gathering process that the regulator embarked on towards finding a way forward that consider the interest of the utility and electricity consumers.

Yesterday, ESERA through its Facebook Page revealed that it will be announcing the Regulator’s decision on the EEC’s tariff review application this coming Monday. The announcement will be Live on Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority Facebook Page from 09:15.

Meanwhile, in 2020, the utility company deferred the tariff increase because of the then declared State of Emergency and partial lockdown measured that had been put in place by the Eswatini government to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

In a statement that was released on March 30, the company said it made serious considerations on the economic challenges brought by the pandemic which is what led to the deferment of the 2020/2021 tariff increase.

“As the country’s economic slowdown, trade flows are curtailed and movement is partial, EEC felt the need to put some measures in place to try and assist individuals and businesses that will be suffering the consequence of the economic crises,” read the statement.