The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has disclosed that it will compensate consumers due to incessant power outages.

In a press statement, it revealed that, it has concluded preliminary investigations into the recent power outages.

The Commission noted that it will ascertain the liability and possibility of compensation before exacting it.

According to the Commission, explained that regulatory monitoring conducted by them resulted in the erratic power supply. Coupled with this, low voltages particularly during peak hours, was caused by a number of factors across the value chain of electricity supply.

“Following the conclusion of the preliminary investigations, the Commission in accordance with its regulatory processes is ascertaining the liability and possibility of compensation to consumers in recognition of any loss occasioned by the erratic power supply.

“The Commission further encourages consumers to report any case of damaged equipment to the nearest ECG/NEDCO office for the appropriate action failing which the report may be forwarded to the PURC for redress”.

PURC Board consents to compensation

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson for Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Bawa Munkaila has revealed that it is necessary to seek the approval of the Board before compensating those affected by the erratic power supply.

According to him, a panel has been set up to ensure appropriate compensation for customers.

That notwithstanding, “it would still wait for a Boards approval before the utilities can be sanctioned to compensate consumers in that regard so we are still holding on till we get a Board.”

Mr. Munkaila stated that, granting the fact Commission does not have a Board, the Secretariat is well able to find solution to the problems.

His comment follows a report by the Commission concluding its investigations on the causes of the recent erratic power supply.

“As a regulatory body, we deal with regulatory standards and industry benchmarks. So, when it happens like that and you don’t dig through to the root cause of the matter and you end up sanctioning or asking the utility providers to compensate the consumers; you may end up not doing the right thing. So, that was why we had to go through the investigation, come up with the report before we will determine the category or the level compensation that would be given to consumers”.

Compensation modalities

Additionally, Mr. Munkaila disclosed that cut in power supply did not affect the entire country. As such, compensations will not be the same.

“It wasn’t the entire country that suffered and even the parts of the country that suffered. It wasn’t everybody who had the impact at the same level and also when you consider the Commissions tariff system; we have a graduation tariff structure that is the lifeline follow up to the next consumption structure through to SLT costumers. So, when you have all these things the compensation definitely should not be the same”.

The report established a number of factors that led to the challenges in power supply. This included technical challenges in the natural gas supply network and construction of new transmission infrastructure.

Also, it suggests that planned and unplanned maintenance activities contributed to it.

Others include reduction in reactive power support in the mid-portion of the country. The report also cited emergency upgrade and modification works on the NITS as other reasons for the outages