Mangoma promises overhaul of ZESA billing

New smart meters will soon be installed in order to help serve the consumer who is being made to pay unrealistic bills, said Mangoma in a recent statement. The MDC-T cabinet minister said the archaic billing system had enabled corrupt ZESA officials to fleece the consumers, who were often subjected to blackouts because the country was only generating between 1300MW and 1400MW – instead of the 2000MW that is required to meet local demand.

ZESA has failed to resolve the billing problems and consumers have lost faith in the system. This system has given a golden opportunity to some corrupt ZESA employees to fleece consumers, said Mangoma. The solution lies in the introduction of smart meters, which have already been introduced in some parts of the country. They reflect monthly consumption, unlike the current billing system that charges consumers even though electricity is not used.

Smart meters will be introduced soon to deal once and for all with the billing problems. Consumers will be able to pay as they consume using the prepayment facility, explained Mangoma. He added that the smart meters would also enable the rationing of electricity by consumers, which would reduce the now common load shedding.

The smart meters will be able to ration electricity so that more people will be able to have access to it and reduce load shedding. Consumers will be able to install their own smart meters using ZESA-accredited installers. Under pressure from consumers over the 30 percent hike in the price of electricity from the current 7,53 cents to 9,94 cents, Mangoma has relented and said that the proposed hike has been frozen.

ZESA has come up with a proposed tariff which I have put on hold whilst the necessary consultative processes are being carried out. The small thermals are expensive to run, hence the power they produce is also expensive. In the meantime, there are customers who have voluntarily enlisted to pay a high tariff in return for not having load shedding. These are being supplied from the additional electricity being generated by these small thermals, said Mangoma.