Zambia: Power tariffs to rise

After increasing fuel prices in October, the cash-strapped government now plans to raise power tariffs as a further step to eliminate energy subsidies and make investment in new generation projects more attractive. “Our policy is to quickly migrate to economic tariffs so that we attract the much-needed private sector investments into greenfield power generation facilities and also pursue other energy mix,” energy minister David Mabumba said. He did not specify when or by how much electricity tariffs would rise, but the government is under pressure to rein in a widening fiscal deficit set to reach 10% of gross domestic product this year.