Huge power price hike OK'd

Pretoria - State-owned electricity utility Eskom has been granted a 31.3% tariff increase, the National Energy Regulator of SA(Nersa) said on Thursday.

The figure fell just short of Eskom's requested 34% hike.

The tariff increase will result in a rise in the average standard tariff from 25.24c per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 33.14c, Nersa chairperson Collin Matjila said in Pretoria.

The increase will come into effect on July 1.

Nersa said the adjustment would result in estimated tariff revenues of R62.031bn from distribution standard tariff sales of 198 857 Gigawatt Hours (GWh).

The estimated total revenues, including special pricing agreements, would be R64.704bn for total sales of 222 640 GWh, including international sales.

Nersa said the 31.3% increase included the 2 cents/kWh levy on the sale of electricity generated from non-renewable sources (environmental levy).

It added that the 2c/kWh had to be recovered within the 31.3% tariff increase.