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ERA tips journalists with skills to report on transition and tariffs

24 January 2025, 11:40 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), Engineer Ziria Tibalwa Waako, has praised the media for their support, which has significantly contributed to the authority’s growth.

“I would like to thank you and your editorial teams for the continued coverage of the electricity sub-sector. This enables us to effectively disseminate information to electricity consumers and the general public as we work towards ensuring a sustainable electricity supply for Uganda’s socioeconomic transformation,” Waako said.

The chief executive officer of Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) Engineer Ziria Tibalwa Waako.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), Engineer Ziria Tibalwa Waako, emphasised the crucial role of the media in supporting the authority’s mandate as outlined in the Electricity Act, Cap. 157. She highlighted that transparency is a core principle of the authority.

“The media plays a critical role in promoting transparency by serving as a watchdog, disseminating information, and providing a platform for public discourse. This role has evolved with technological advancements and shifting societal expectations, reflecting the dynamic nature of both the media and the electricity sub-sector,” she said.

Against this backdrop, ERA organised an engagement with the media at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala to discuss the ongoing transition and electricity tariffs. The authority aims to train journalists on various aspects of the electricity sub-sector. “Over the past years, we have been actively preparing for the transfer of the distribution network from Umeme Limited to Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) at the natural end of Umeme’s concession in March 2025,” she noted.

The CEO stated that ERA has overseen multiple transitions from private companies to the government of Uganda. These include transitions from Ferdsult Engineering Services Limited, Pader-Abim Community Multi-Purpose Electric Cooperative Society Limited, Bundibugyo Energy Cooperative Society, Kyegegwa Rural Electricity Cooperative Society Limited, Kilembe Investments Limited, and Jacobsen Uganda Power Plant Company Limited to UEDCL, as well as Eskom Uganda Limited’s assets transitioning to UEDCL.

As part of the transition, all staff will receive new terms of employment aligned with the approved framework for post-March 2025 operations. These terms aim to leverage tested workflows, personnel deployment strategies, and operational systems to ensure minimal disruption, particularly during the initial months following the transfer of the distribution network to UEDCL.

Engineer Waako also noted that, between September and November 2024, ERA received applications for the 2025 tariff review in accordance with Regulation 18(2) of the Electricity (Application for Permit, License, and Tariff Review) Regulations, 2007. “Members of the media, Regulation 5(a) of the Electricity (Tariff Code) Regulations of 2003 calls for transparency in the tariff review process. After receiving the application for the 2025 tariff review, the public was invited to review and submit comments on the application,” she said.

Following a review of the applications and public feedback during the hearing, the authority, during its 419th meeting held on 18 December 2024, approved the base end-user electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2025 (January to March). “These tariffs represent a weighted average reduction of 5.2% compared to the tariffs of Q4 2024, reducing the cost of delivering electricity services by UGX 155 billion,” Waako concluded.