UMEME Bids For Increase In Power Charges
UMEME has gone to the electricity regulator body, Electricity Regulatory Authority to ask for permission to increase the power tariffs much to the distress of the consumers.
If the body accepts, homes will have to pay sh69 more per unit. According to the Tariff Review Application for 2013 submitted by the company to ERA last month, Umeme also proposes commercial consumers pay Shs52.8 more and medium-sized industries Shs14.6 more than their current rates.
When approved, a domestic consumer will pay Shs593.9 instead of the current Shs524.5 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) of power consumed, a commercial consumer (Shs540.4 instead of Shs487.6), medium industry Shs473.5 instead of Shs458.9 and a large industry Shs320.3 instead of Shs312.8.
Mr Charles Chapman, Umeme’s managing director said the electricity regulating body has to set the tariffs as they as Umeme are not allowed to do so. “The regulator sets tariffs, Umeme does not. Umeme represents 22 per cent of cost and on behalf of our customers supports low tariffs,” he said.
With the new power dams being built and commissioned, one would think the electricity bills will reduce in addition to having more stable electricity in the country.
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Why change tariffs every year like this? I remember we used to pay 90 shs per KWh and that time people would pay their power bills religiously. UMEME is forgetting that, the more they increase the tariffs the more people will continue stealing power. Umeme wants to milk Ugandans up to their blood but time will come!
what justifies the increase, has the cost of running water in river nile gone up, if its the cost of wires and poles, how often does UMEME replace these wires or poles?