The Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (Cenored) on Friday announced its new electricity tariffs, increasing by 6 per cent as of 01 July this year.

Cenored Communications and Marketing Officer, Chali Matengu on Friday afternoon officially announced the new tariffs at a media briefing in Otjiwarongo.

Matengu explained that Cenored which supplies electricity to regions of Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Kunene, and partly Oshikoto, had applied for the tariff increase of 7.5 per cent at the Electricity Control Board (ECB), which in return approved the application with a 6 per cent.

Matengu stated that the need for tariff hikes is due to the fact that the national bulk electricity supplier, NamPower also increased its electricity tariffs, and also over the rising operational costs, maintenance expenses and investment required in upgrading the power grid for uninterrupted power supply to customers.

This increase in NamPower’s tariffs automatically affected the bulk purchase of electricity for Cenored, and t
hus Cenored has to increase as well, said Matengu.

‘As a result, our company’s 6 per cent tariff increase will also impact on our customers in the domestic prepaid tariff category, who will now have to pay N.dollars 2.79 per unit, compared to the previous N.dollars 2.62 they paid per unit,’ said Matengu.

He further explained that rates for customers who own general businesses will remain unchanged when purchasing electricity units at N.dollars 4.45 per unit, while those at farms will also remain at N.dollars 5.60 per unit.

He clarified that electricity units of N.dollars 100 now in the domestic category will yield 33.7 units, down from the previous 35.8 units, while in the business category N.dollars 100 will still yield 21.6 units and N.dollars 100 at farms continuing to fetch 17.8 units.

Matengu further stated that on each electricity unit purchased, consumers also pay levies to the National Energy Fund (NEF), Electricity Control Board, (ECB) and surcharges to the local authority councils holding shares
in the electricity supply and distribution.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency