On 10^th December 2021, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) held the First-Ever hybrid Public Hearing, where stakeholders were consulted on the Tariff Review Applications for the year 2022.

The Authority received Applications for review of Tariffs and Budgets for the Year 2022, from Five (5) Licensees, namely: Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd (UEGCL), Umeme Limited, Eskom (U) Limited, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL), and Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL).

According to the Applications submitted by the Licensees to the Authority, the Licensees requested for review of the Tariffs for the year 2022; to cater for, among others; the refurbishment of the Electricity distribution network, investment in the transmission network, all aimed at improving the reliability of Electricity Supply, increment in the transmission network length, security to control vandalism of transmission towers, increase in Customer Connections, reduction in Energy Losses, Staff Capacity Building and Monitoring of the Concessions.

The ERA Board Chairperson, Dr. Sarah Wasagali Kanaabi, who presided over the Public Hearing, informed participants that the Public Hearing was conducted to provide Licensees with the opportunity to present their Applications to Electricity Consumers, justify the costs in the Applications and for Electricity Consumers to provide views concerning the Applications.

In response to the Applications, the Stakeholders raised concerns about the affordability of Tariffs, the level of connection fees, and the reliability of power supply, among other issues.

The Chief Executive Officer of ERA, Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, noted that it was in the best interest of the Authority to ensure low tariffs and reliable power supply,  issues included in the Authority’s focus in the current five-year strategic plan.

She added that the views from the Electricity Consumers and Licensees expressed during the Hearing would be analysed by the Authority before deciding on the Base Tariffs for 2022.

The Public Hearing preceded the determination of the End-User Base Tariffs to be charged to the different categories of Electricity Consumers served by Umeme Limited in 2022, subject to changes every quarter, depending on movements in the Macro-Economic Factors.

The Public Hearing was attended by different stakeholders, including the Licensees, Electricity Consumer Advocacy groups, the media, among other Electricity Supply Industry Stakeholders.