Tanesco announces restoration of connectivity charges

Dar es Salaam. TheTanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) has on Wednesday, January 05, 2022, announced restoration of power connectivity charges for urban customers.

The new charges will involve customers for the single, double and triple phases as gazetted by the Energy and Water Utility Authority (Ewura) in the GN No 1020 of December 4, 2020.

In the GN Sh27,000 connectivity charges would remain for connectivity among rural customers.

Tanesco’s announcement comes a day after President Samia Suluhu Hassan ordered Energy Minister January Makamba to restore connectivity charges to enable Tanesco to operate efficiently.

She was speaking during a meeting with cabinet ministers, regional commissioners, CCM regional chairpersons, senior government officials held at State House Dar es Salaam.

The meeting aimed at reviewing the implementation progress of development projects including those financed by the $567.25 million from the Covid-19 relief funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Ms Hassan said electricity connection cannot be efficient at the Sh27,000 charges, hinting that it was the reason most citizens who have completed payments remained unconnected.

"We were ruined by saying that citizens could be connected at the Sh27,000 costs. Power connectivity costs cannot be like that although there are places where the costs will remain unchanged. However, there are places where costs charges are inevitable. Minister (Makamba), you have not spoken about this, but I have helped you. Therefore, go and supervise the implementation,” she said.

But, the public notice says electricity connectivity to single phase customers 30 metres away from power infrastructures would be Sh320,960.

“Connection charges for customers whose buildings are located at 70 and 120 metres from electricity infrastructures will stand at Sh515,618 and Sh696,670 respectively,” reads Tanesco’s public notice.

However, the costs for the three-phase connection at a distance of 30; 70 and 120 metres would be Sh912,014; Sh1,249,385 and Sh1,639,156 respectively.

The notice issued by Tanesco, says that all charges were Value Added Tax (VAT) inclusive.

However, the GN No 1020 shows that the costs with VAT exclusive to single phase clients residing at a distance of 30, 70, 120 metres from places with power infrastructures would be Sh272,000; Sh436,964 and Sh590,398 respectively.