Large industrial customers face 19.09% electricity hike on April 1

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has published retail tariff adjustments for 2023/24 that include a 10% increase for poor residential customers, instead of the 18.65% approved for the standard tariff. This lower hike to poor customers will be paid for through a 29.53% increase in the so-called affordability subsidy paid by large electricity consumers, which will result in their tariffs being hiked by 19.09% on April 1. The adjustments flow from the regulator’s recent approval of Eskom’s Retail Tariff and Structural Adjustment (ERTSA) application, which was submitted following Nersa’s January 12 approval of an average tariff increase of 18.65% for Eskom’s standard tariff customers.