Electricity Tariff Increases by 31.8% In Malawi

Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority MERA has approved a 31.8 percent electricity tariff increase on a four year period.

This is against the 60 percent which ESCOM applied for some months ago.

Speaking to the press in Lilongwe board chairperson of MERA Dr Joseph Bvumbwe said “the tariff will increase by 20 percent in the first year that’s 2018 to 2019 financial year.”

Reacting to the hike people in Blantyre city said the increment is unfair to consumers.

“ESCOM could fix the problem of persistent electricity blackout before deciding to increase the tariff,” they said.

The approval follows the public hearing meetings which MERA held on the tariff increase in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mxuxu.

Some participants at the meetings such as Consumers Association of Malawi was against the proposal but Millennium challenge account backed it.