MBABANE – The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) is planning to issue a detailed statement providing an update on the proposed electricity tariff hike.
According to reliable sources, ESERA will elaborate extensively on the reasons behind the delay in announcing its resolution on the tariff adjustment.
The announcement, which was expected to be issued by February 1, has been delayed, as ESERA is yet to finalise and release its determination.
While the law requires that the tariff decision be announced by February 1, ESERA Chief Executive Officer Sikhumbuzo Tsabedze previously indicated that the timeline may shift slightly due to procedural demands.
Tsabedze said the authority was handling a high volume of submissions and technical work, which could see the process concluded within the first week of February.
He emphasised that although the final decision may not satisfy all stakeholders, it must be defensible, transparent and in the national interest.“Our responsibility is to make a decision that any reasonable regulator, placed in our position, would arrive at,” he said.
Tsabedze made these remarks while outlining the next steps in the tariff determination process.
He explained that ESERA would now analyse submissions received during the public consultation process and submit further questions to the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC). He added that the authority would test the utility’s figures, reconcile them and arrive at its own independent assessment.
Once this technical process is completed, the matter will be escalated to ESERA’s Board of Directors for consideration.
“Thereafter, we will consult with government, which is a critical stakeholder. A public announcement will follow once a final determination is made in line with the approved tariff methodology,” he said.
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