Gov’t Hikes Electricity Connection Fees Amidst COVID-19

By Echonewsug

 Kampala: The Electricity Regulatory Authority(ERA) has approved new costs for electricity connections in Kampala.

This follows a policy directive from the Government of Uganda in line with Section 17 of the Electricity Act 1999, Chapter 145 of the Laws of Uganda with respect to implementation of the Electricity Connection Policy.

The new costs shall be charged to customers by the Electricity Distribution Licensees or service providers in respect of the different connection types as directed in the press release.

The statement further informs the general public that;

”All Licensed Electricity Distribution Companies have been directed to make Electricity Connections for Customers who have the financial capacity and willingness to pay for their
connections at Regulated Connection Costs, Effective Monday, 7th December 2020.”

”All Licensed Electricity Distribution Companies are directed to publish the ERA-Approved Connection Costs to their customers Using customer appropriate platforms including visible charts in
their various field offices”.

ERA notes that  consumers who had earlier applied for Electricity Connection through the ECP shall be required to top up payment in line with the ERA-Approved new connection charges, and sign an addendum to the application consenting to ability and willingness to pay the cost reflective connection charges in order to be connected to power supply”.

ERA however noted that Consumers who earlier made application through the ECP but do not have capacity to top up payment in line with the ERA- Approved new connection charges shall be advised to wait until such a time when Government has mobilized resources to finance the new connections as guided by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development in the Policy Directive

Connections paid for by the consumers will be assigned identification codes to clearly differentiate them from the free Connections”.

Brief On Policy Directive

The Policy Directive notes that the Free Connection Policy has been implemented since November 2018 and has achieved close to the target of 300,000 new connections per year”.

ERA further notes that the high number of new connections requires a correspondingly high budget provision from Government which has become a challenge especially under the Covid-19 conditions with many competing demands.

”Consequently, to ensure that electricity connections continue, those who have the ability and are willing to pay for their connections will be allowed to do so and get connected to electricity, while the free connections provision of the Electricity Connections Policy will be maintained for members of the public wiling to wait for the Government to mobilize resources”. ERA noted