A call has gone out to the Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) to ignore a 99 and 36 percent tariff electricity hike as proposed by Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) respectively. 

According to a joint parliamentary committee, hiking electricity tariffs at this moment is unfair for Malawians who are experiencing persistent power blackouts.

In an interview, co-chairperson of the joint Committee Welani Chilenga said it is too unreasonable for the energy regulator to embark on public consultations on the hike.

Chilenga said: “It is very unfair for Malawians that at this time that Malawians should be hearing that Mera is conducting public hearings just to increase electricity tariffs, it is very unfair for Malawians.

Moreover, this time we are going through blackouts everyday, instead of the country looking at having the blackout issue sorted out by having Kapichira back then we are being told of a hike, which electricity are we paying for?”

Commenting on the plea, Mera boss Henry Kachaje said the Authority is only mandated by law to review the revenue requirements once every four years.

“The process that is allowed for in the law is that every four years we do review their operations and then we do review their requests in terms of their performance and projects they want to take.

The process allows that once in four years provide their review requirements and their proposed tariff adjustments, after that we do engage the public and after engaging the public that’s when we do a determination whether a tariff increase can be accepted or not,” Kachaje said.

Currently Malawians are buying electricity at an average tariff of K104.46 per kilowatt per hour.