Eskom recently made an urgent application to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to increase the electricity tariff by 25.3% for the 2015/2016 financial year.
Neil Roets, CEO of debt counselling firm Debt Rescue, warned that these price increases will plunge large numbers of consumers and business into debt.
Eskom’s planned price increase is controversial, especially as it comes after a Nersa-approved 12.69% price increase.
But what are the current rates, and how do prepaid and post-paid prices compare?
EE Publishers has prepared an easy-to-use electricity pricing guide – detailing prepayment vs. credit metering.
Credit metering
Homepower 4, with an 80 A 1-phase credit meter
Typically supplying higher-consumption households with many electrical appliances.
0 – 600 kWh: 113.89c/kWh
>600 kWh: 183.13c/kWh
Fixed charge independent of kWh usage: R90/month
Homelight 60A, with an 80 A 1-phase credit meter
Typically supplying suburban higher-usage households in urban areas with a number of electrical appliances, including a geyser.
0 – 600 kWh: 107.74c/kWh
>600 kWh: 183.13c/kWh
Fixed charge independent of kWh usage: N/A
Prepayment metering
Homelight 20A, with a 20 A 1-phase prepayment meter
Typically supplying low-consumption rural and small urban households who only use power for a few electrical appliances.
0 – 600 kWh: 97.22c/kWh
>600 kWh: 108.25c/kWh
Fixed charge independent of kWh usage: N/A
Homelight 60A, with a 60 A 1-phase prepayment meter
Typically supplying suburban higher-usage households in urban areas with a number of electrical appliances, including a geyser.
0 – 600 kWh: 107.74c/kWh
>600 kWh: 183.13c/kWh
Fixed charge independent of kWh usage: N/A