Electricity board tightens grip on connections

The Electricity Control Board (ECB) is planning to enforce stricter rules around electricity connection charges.

This will be done through the introduction of a legally binding National Connection Charge Code (NCCC).

By March next year, the ECB expects that the country will transition from the current National Connection Charge Policy (NCCP) to a legally binding code to ensure fairness and consistency.

The ECB’s senior financial analyst and market analyst, Tonateni Amakutuwa, says under the NCCP, the board follows a policy that is not strictly enforced.

This policy is only followed by a few, he says.

Amakutuwa says this has caused problems and complaints.

“Policies are expressions of government, and these policies are not normally legally binding or enforceable. We are going to keep that as a policy, but then develop a code that is a legally enforceable document for it to be legalised in terms of use,” he told Desert Radio yesterday.

Amakutuwa explained that the goal is to create a standardised way of handling connection charges for users connecting to both transmission and distribution networks, including off-grid power systems that aren’t linked to the national grid.

Another goal is to clearly define who will be affected by this new code.

“Those people could be either generators, for example, independent power producers, or even generators. When it comes to own generators, like if you put a PV panel on your roof and you’re generating electricity and you’d like to connect to the national network – those types of users would also be subject to this code,” he said.

Amakutuwa said the transition process has been ongoing for the past eight months, involving extensive consultations with stakeholders.

A final draft of the NCCC is expected by the end of October, with the final version ready by November.

After approval by the ECB, the code will be published in the Government Gazette, a process that takes about three months.
The entire transition is expected to be completed by March next year.

“Once the code has been developed, it becomes a sub-legal document of the Electricity Act, and in terms of compliance with the code, the act is specific on how non-compliance is treated,” Amakutuwa said.

Pinehas Mutota, the economic marketing and regulation executive at the ECB, during a stakeholder consultation on Tuesday, said stakeholders called for clearer definitions, a detailed process for determining connection assets and costs and the addition of a specific code addressing connection charges for electrification connections.

“The code also emphasises fairness, economic efficiency and transparency, providing clear guidance for network licensees as they develop and implement their connection agreements,” he said.