FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Net Metering is a programme in which any existing customer generating renewable energy on their premises can feed excess power back into the ZETDC Network through a grid-tied invertor and a smart meter, which measures both power consumed by the customer and power supplied to the grid

Net Metering was introduced to allow customers to reduce their electricity purchases from distribution networks through generation of own electricity

It also allows customers to purchase power at a lower step in the tariff

There is reduction of national demand thus reducing load shedding in the long run

It promotes sustainable renewable energy sources, small scale investments, value addition and electricity market development 

It allows import substitution of energy thus save scarce foreign currency resources through rooftop electricity generation

The customer only gets electrical power units and not money. The units shall be credited to the customer and this will benefit them in keeping their bills in the lower tariff band as it reduces the total units billed at the end of the month.

The scheme is a billing methodology under which electricity is generated and consumed by a customer-generator and if there is surplus, it is delivered to the local distribution facilities of ZETDC. This power is then used to offset electric energy provided by the distribution licensee to the customer-generator during an applicable billing period.

Consumers are able to realise value from excess solar they are generating, which is currently unaccounted for.

Customers are able to pay lower bills after the power they put in the grid offsets their consumption from the grid.

They are also able to pay for power in lower tariff bands as they are billed on their net units consumed at the end of the month.

The system starts with solar panels that convert energy from the sun into electricity, secondly,  an invertor converts the electricity produced by the solar panels from Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) for use in your home, school or business. Thirdly, the energy is used in your home, school or business. Finally, a bi-directional meter measures energy used and excess energy produced.

More than 30 customers have so far been connected to Net Metering with sizes ranging from 3KW to 200kw system. Therefore, all customers with Renewable Energy systems are welcome to apply to get connected on the programme and be able to accrue electricity credits on their bills.

There are five steps that have to be followed in enrolling for Net Metering:

Step 1:

The prospective applicants can acquire an ENM1 form at any ZETDC office nationwide or download on the ZETDC website www.zetdc.co.zw

Step 2:

After filling in the form, applicants can submit the form and immediately pay the application fee in the respective receipting office of ZETDC

Step 3:

ZETDC officials shall contact perspective customers and set appointments for site visits to check on technical compliance

Step4:

After technical compliance assessment, a customer shall submit an ENM2 form and pay connection fees

Step 5:

A net meter shall be installed and commissioning done and the customer is officially connected

Electrical accidents are being caused some elements that do illegal electricity connections while some of them are caused by thieves and vandals that leave cables exposed. When cables are left exposed, innocent consumers and animals step on them and they are electrocuted.

Unfortunately, when such incidents occur, blame is passed on to ZETDC on the grounds of perceived negligence.

Some of the accidents are caused by ageing electricity infrastructure where some poles fall on innocent consumers and as a utility we are taking steps to carry out physical audits of our infrastructure with the intention of carrying out repairs in the interests of safety of our consumers and animals.

You will realise that each time we apply for a tariff, the intention is to increase our revenues so that we are in a position to carry out such critical period infrastructure maintenance for safety and efficient service delivery.

  a. Avoid connection of naked wires: Consumers are advised to avoid connecting naked electrical wires to electrical sockets. They must ensure that the electrical cable is connected to a three-pin plug with earth wire that they will in-turn slot into the socket

   b. Given that electricity has no sound and smell, all electricity equipment should be treated as live at all times

   c. Consumers are advised to use an insulation tape to join cables and NOT plastic, pegs and cello tape

  d. not use long cables that crisscross the house but very short cables associated with more socket points

  e. Do not leave children unsupervised in houses with switched on appliances

  f. Do not commission installation when you are not a qualified electrician

  g. Do not build houses under power lines

  h. Do not by-pass breakers using solid links like wires. This is not only angerous but also a criminal offence with a jail sentence.

  i. Do not overload adaptors to prevent fires

   j. Do not climb ZESA structures or play near power lines to prevent electrocution

  k. Avoid illegal connections in farms (Dande Mutande) as they risk causing electrocution and

   l. Do not attempt to repair electrical faults on your own but should report to your nearest ZETDC office for assistance

IN THE HOME:

1.        Match the size of the pot with that of the plate of the stove to avoid loss of energy
2. Regulate geyser temperatures to as near body temperature as possible
3. Replace all incandescent lamps with Light Emitting Diodes (LED) that consume less power that consume less power
4. Switch Off all appliances that are not in use to conserve energy
5. Switch off your stove five minutes before finishing cooking as the generated heat would enable you to adequately finish cooking when your stove is off

IN INDUSTRY and FARMING:

1.      Give efficiency of the pump due consideration while selecting one
2. Monitor all important system parameters like motor KW, pump head and flow temperatures
3. Use pumps in series and parallel so that mismatch in system design or variations in operating conditions can be handled properly
4. Retrofit old electric motors with high efficiency motors
5. Where a group of electrical machines operate independent of each other, starting can be staggered to avoid the Maximum Demand charge during starting
6. Use power factor correcting equipment like capacitor banks to keep the power factor in the range of 0.95 to 1.
7. The current tariff structure has Time of Use rates where an on-peak rate is higher than the off-peak rate hence customers can benefit by shifting production volume to off-peak periods and enjoy a lower rate
8. Utilisation and Load factors should be maximized in order to reduce the unit cost of production
9. Avoid illegal connections and pay for your consumption as it is not only a reputational issue but behavior that saves money as penalties would not levied on honest consumers

The scourge of theft and vandalism has caused prejudice in materials and equipment in the tune of USD 3.2Million to ZESA Holdings and more than that figure to the nation during the period January to November 2022 as we also quantify loss in terms of loss of lives and loss of production due to unplanned power supply interruptions.

The loss is caused by such interferences with reticulation of electricity for selfish gains by some misfits in the society.

An upsurge in cases of theft and vandalism is caused by so many factors. These factors border on social, political, technological, environment causes and the general moral decay in the society. Of course not forgetting the general greediness and lack of patriotism on the part of the perpetrators. Such perpetrators have retrogressively impacted on efficient service delivery of ZESA such that most of the materials and equipment that were supposed to be utilized to grow the electricity infrastructure ends up being used for replacement purposes

As an organization, we are pursuing quiet a number of strategies to fight against theft and vandalism in the interest of safety of our valued consumers as well as for efficient service delivery.

• In view of the fact that distribution transformers are some of the most targeted equipment by thieves and vandals, we are doing Hard target hardening and tacking, Target Removal and Target relocation of the same.

• Also in view of the fact that there is power and value in the synergy effect, we are doing joint awareness campaigns with other public utilities that are equally affected by theft and vandalism and other arms of security to ensure that we protect our infrastructure

The community has a moral obligation to jealously protect national infrastructure from vandalism to show not only patriotism but for them not to get disadvantaged from black outs, and increased cost of final products that are manufactured using other expensive source of energy like diesel.

The community is urged to take advantage of the whistle blowing concept wherein the volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of thieves and vandals without having their names disclosed on the following Toll Free Numbers:

ECONET:  08080539  NETONE: 08018888

Allow me to emphasize that by using toll free numbers to report thieves and vandals, consumers do not incur any cost for their valued contribution in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the electricity infrastructure.

• The legal fraternity plays a critical role in not only creating deterrence to would-be perpetrators of theft and vandalism but to also pass suitable sentences to those that interfere with the electricity infrastructure for selfish gains. Once the relevant Bills are enacted, indeed they will create deterrence to would-be criminals.

• We are appreciative of the developments in the courts of law where custodial sentence is being preferred against such perpetrators, the development that would go a long way to protect the normal reticulation of electricity, human and animal lives as some deaths are caused by cables that are left exposed by vandals.

There were efforts to revise some laws to also create deterrence. How far has this initiative gone and which laws have been targeted for the exercise.

Yes, plans are already underway to introduce a vibrant whistle-blower facility, one that is tailor-made to attract the general populace to assist with pertinent information. However, it is still premature for us to disclose it to stakeholders as we are still doing relevant consultations to ensure that it gives value to the business and our whistle blowers.

Indeed, ZETDC is working closely with its sister subsidiary Powertel Communications to install anti-intrusion detection alarm gadgets (systems) on transformers countrywide to curb theft and vandalism. You will allow me park this subject for now as we have a fully-fledged programme on this subject as we continue to forge strategic alliances within the ZESA Group to ensure the integrity of our business and systems to the best advantage of our valued stakeholders.

Allow me to once again reiterate that the community has a moral obligation to jealously protect national infrastructure from theft and vandalism to demonstrate their patriotism and for them not to get disadvantaged from black outs, and increased cost of final products that are manufactured using other expensive source of energy like diesel.  

PAYMENT OF BILLS

Non-Payment of electricity bills by defaulting consumers on the post-paid system in domestic, industrial, mining, farming and business categories has been blamed for inefficiencies that have impacted negatively on efficient service delivery to the nation by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).

The revenue that is locked with such defaulting consumers would have been utilized to maintain the existing infrastructure to avoid electrical accident due to ageing equipment, purchase of raw materials like coal and water for electricity generation at the Kariba South Hydro Power Station as well as growing the national power grid through the purchase of materials and equipment to connect new customers.  

The total amount being owed to ZETDC by its defaulting customers as at 31st  December 2021 was about ZWL$15 Billion, being a sum position of US$47.5m for exporting customers being billed in forex and ZWL$9.4 billion for the rest of the customers being billed in local currency

As at 31st December 2021, out of the ZWL$15 billion that is being owed to ZETDC:

• Local authorities constituted 24% of the debt with a value of 3.6 billion

• Industrial customers constituted 19% of the debt with a value of $2.9 billion

• Mining customers constituted 18% of the debt with a value of $2.8 billion

• Domestic customers constituted 11% of the debt with a value of $1.7 billion

• Government entities constituted 10% of the debt with a value of $1.5 billion

• Commercial customers were at 6% whilst Farming customers constitute 5%zzzzzzz

• Parastatal and Exporters were at 3% each giving a sum total of $2.6 billion

However, due to the confidentiality clause that exists between the power utility and its consumers, we are not in a position to disclose specific details and identities of such defaulting customers.

Non-payment of bills is indeed a culture that has to be nipped in the bud as we encourage all our customers to pay for their consumption of electricity to ensure the viability of the power utility to fulfil its mandate of efficient service delivery.

There are a number of interventions that the power utility is currently executing in order to encourage its customers to settle their bills and these include:

1. Client Engagement – where defaulting clients are being engaged telephonically, virtually, physically as well as through social media where they are urged to settle their bills.

1. Timeous Billing and Dispatching of Bills -The power utility is endeavoring to ensure that all customers are billed and the bills are dispatched timeously.

1. Payment Plans – where possible, Payment plans are sometimes entertained with defaulting clients and strictly monitored to ensure compliance.

1. Disconnection - Withdrawal of electricity supply is being utilized as a last resort where defaulting clients have failed to pay or honour their payment plans.

1. Prepaid Meters - Clients on Post-paid and Load Limit are gradually being enrolled onto prepayment metering.

1. Smart Meters – Large and Medium Clients on Post-paid are being enrolled onto the Smart metering platform, which will enable the power utility to communicate with the meter in the field from the office and effect credit control measure.

1. Prepayment Meter Debt Recovery – Premise debt is loaded and recovered through the prepayment meter at a minimum rate of 50% per vend amount.
2. Litigation - Litigation is being employed as a last resort to ensure that  defaulting customers to pay, though currently it has been compromised by the Covid 19 pandemic.

1. Blacklisting - Defaulting clients are being submitted for blacklisting if all avenues fail and so far, 28,955 customers with a total value of ZWL$43.6m have been submitted for blacklisting.

1. Widening of Payment Options - The power utility has also widened its payment options from banking halls to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Through the ZETDC Self-Service Portal, clients are now able to enquire and pay their bills using Ecocash.

1. Lobbying of Key Sectors – ZETDC is also lobbying with key customer groups such as CZI, ZNCC, Farmers Associations and COMZ to urge their members to settle bills for improved service.

The list is not exhaustive but these are some of the interventions that are being made with the hope that the defaulting customers will heed the call and clear their bills timeously.

It is also hoped that our customers will come to a position where they develop a culture of enquiring and paying their bills before they are disconnected, blacklisted or taken to court. We have to come to a point where every customer realizes that they have a part to play in ensuring or capacitating the power utility in availing stable and consistent supplies of Electricity.

Non-payment of bills has a number of negative effects on ZESA’s service delivery and these includes:

1.  Extended Load curtailment - The forex income is what is being utilized to import power from external suppliers from Regional members of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) – the moment these customers fail to pay their bills, the resultant effect is that ZETDC does not have the resources to import power and as such, would not have the capacity to bridge the shortfall of power supply from our Local generating units, as such this implies extended Load shedding hours.
2. Extended outages due to faults - Non-payment of bills result in unavailability of funds to procure critical spares for network maintenance and refurbishment and this leads to dilapidated network infrastructure, which in turn result in long outages due to faults.

1. Incapacitation of daily operations - Tools and equipment that are used for day to day network maintenance and operations are procured using funds that are being billed from our customers, thus non-payment of bills incapacitates the operations of the power utility.
2. Inability to respond to faults on time - The fuel shortages and transport challenges that the power utility is facing is also being compounded by delayed receipts from customers.
3. Loss of monetary value- As bills remains unpaid, the monetary value of those amounts are eroded by inflation, further incapacitating ZETDC from delivering service efficiently.
4. Inability to service Suppliers of goods and services- Reduced credit line for the power utility resulting in ZETDC failing to access the required service materials and spares required for operation.

In short, non-payment of bills results in poor service delivery and in turn affect all other customers, even those that are paid up.

Major Demand customers are the biggest customers that have an impact on ZETDC’s sales such that disconnection of these customers negatively impacts on the firm’s revenue as the sales lost are significant and also because of their size, disconnection is a huge inconvenience to the customer as this leads to loss of power to heavy machinery and in the case of mines, they may lead to flooding and avoidable loss of production.

Depending on size of the load removed, we may have changes in the voltage and frequency characteristics on the grid, which may lead to trips on the grip thereby affecting quality of supply to other clients

Thus MD customers are encouraged to always clear their bills before the 10th of each month so as to ensure that they are not disconnected and inconvenienced in their operations.

Yes, set offs are being done with other customers, especially parastatals with whom we have reciprocal services like NRZ, Tel One, Municipalities and the like.

This is done to help with cash flows since each entity is supposed to have paid the other and also to allow the one in excess to clear their dues. Set Offs is a mutually beneficial business practice that we have always applied for the continued interaction and function of systems without prejudice in business.

• We want to encourage all our customers to clear their bills and not wait to have their power disconnected for them to pay.
• Our customers are also being advised that they can get their bills on our self-service portal (https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/register) after registering their account there. To register, they need their most recent bill in order to get the Account number, Previous bill number and Previous bill amount that they need to register. Once registered, customers can view their account status at any time and download their bills in the comfort of their homes, offices or any other private confinement without having to physically visit ZETDC offices and outlets countrywide. This facility also conveniently answers to the need to combat COVID-19 that requires social distancing, among other measures to protect and save lives.
• We also requesting our customers to register their email address with their nearest ZETDC office or send through their email address, phone number and ZETDC account number to any of our call Centre WhatsApp numbers so that we may register them for to receive their bills every time they are billed in the comfort of their homes. The 24-Hour National Contact Centre numbers are +263 719219977/ +263 715519387/ +263 715519389 or Call on 704/0242704040/ 08688003485

• Our Customers are also advised that they can make use of different payment platforms available to pay their bills and these include online bank transfers to ZETDC Account Numbers relevant to their district, providing their ZESA Account numbers, walk in and swipe in our banking halls, pay using Ecocash on our self-service portal (https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/paybill) or even paying using cash in our banking halls. All these options are available for our customers.
• Customers are also encouraged to make it a habit to remain in contact with their ZETDC office to check on their bill and account to ensure that they are paid up.
• Remember, other than disconnections, ZETDC is also blacklisting bad debtors, so don't wake up one day to find your name blacklisted in all banks and credit houses because of an unpaid ZESA bill. Pay your bills on time always and help us help you maintain your clean financial record.
• May I once again emphasize on customers to Visit our self-service portal on https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/ and see the convenience that they have at their disposal in the comfort of their homes and offices. They should also call any of our call Centres for assistance should they fail to navigate they provided systems on their own and we would be glad to assist them.

The key objectives of the smart metering project are to improve efficiency through elimination of leakages and enhancement of revenue collection. The remaining customers on the postpaid mode will be converted to the prepaid system for them to realise the full benefits and functions of smart metering. The Smart Metering system provides a mechanism to remotely and efficiently manage and control metering points from a central point.

The project is targeting customers with capacity above 100Amps where standard prepaid meters cannot be installed and these are Medium and Large Power Users.  These are the few customers contributing the bulk of the revenue and from a Pareto approach, it makes sense that the company deploys the best metering technology to these points.

• Smart Metering technology provides a meter Tamper detection and alert facility
• It enables Upfront collection of revenue through ability to operate in prepaid mode
• It also results in Improvement of operational efficiency
• Smart Metering Empowers clients through ability to access real time and historical data from meter through web services
• It has Enhanced asset and grid management facility.
• The smart metering project is a game changer as it will change the business model for ZETDC and the way it interfaces with its clients.

The project started as far back as 2012 with a proof of concept (POC) where technical due diligence was done to address risk of technical uncertainties associated with new technology. The project is being implemented following a metering strategy drafted by  Deloitte and Touch in 2009. Phase 1 with a scope of 2455 was done during period 2020 -2021 and the project is moving to rollout phase (phase 2) with a scope of 17,000 is scheduled to end in December 2022. The migration of the remaining billing meters and transformer statistical meters that will be phased to manage cash flows. ZETDC went for high precision and high-resolution meters with guaranteed accuracy stability over the 20-year life span. 

The smart meters cost more than the conventional meters but they deliver better value for money and also the Return on Investment (ROI) is high, as the meters will address problem of leakages and collection challenges.

The project will be implemented on a targeted and tailored approach.  The target customers are the Medium and Large Power Users, Corporates who consume large quantum of energy and contribute about 70% of the company’s revenue. The scope also includes transformers feeding multiple clients to enable Energy Balance and Energy Accounting and enhance asset management.

The intrusion detection system has the following features facilities:

1. Monitoring        -   Using a web based Graphic User interface (GUI).
2. Detection           -  GSM Alarm system with motion and contact sensors
3. Reaction             -   Rapid Response- utilising the ZESA Group Loss Control,

                                ZRP & community neighbourhood watch groups and in

                                the near future, Drone technology

1. Notification       -  SMS alerts, Email notifications and phone calls, flash lights

                              and siren

1. Deterrence        - Physical Barriers to entry, flash lights and siren

• Motion sensors trigger an alarm when an intruder is in the proximity of the transformer. The system has a mechanism of being disarmed when ZETDC operators are carrying out operations in the network. The alarm is set to rearm itself in case the intruder tries to intrude again after the initial alarm.

• Power off protection function- the system is kitted with backup power in case of power outage.

• The system is housed in an outer shell made of corrosive resistant material and waterproof, which are suitable for the outdoor environment.

• The system is well mounted to avoid nuisance alarming from passing vehicles and animals

• The system comes with rapid response i.e. the system sends SMS messages and calls to preset mobile phone numbers. These messages are transmitted to a 24-hour control room that will dispatch their nearest reaction vehicle to attend to the activation.

• The system also sends SMS messages to preset ZETDC personnel for each respective region, whose cell phone numbers are programmed into the system

• Greater community involvement and cooperation is expected as the community is the first line of response to the sounding alarms. This involves working with community interest groups such as neighborhood watch communities, Zimbabwe Republic Police and ZETDC officials, among others.

The anti-vandalism Management system has the following advantages:

• Improved availability of electricity through the preservation of community resources in communities

• Promotes greater community involvement and partnership in fighting vandalism for mutual benefit

• Improved investment in electricity grid infrastructure in under-served communities with more communities getting connected to the electricity grid as infrastructure becomes available for more societies and the national assets are protected

• Reduced fiscus drain as costs of infrastructure replacement are reduced

• On average three transformers are stolen daily implying that affected communities must brace for prolonged power outages due to the effects of vandalism. Whilst the ZETDC is pursuing various strategies that include patrols, special operations in liaison with other security agents and awareness campaigns to contain the menace from further damaging and interference with electricity networks, the Powertel Internet of Things (IoT) solution comes on board as a scalable and realistic solution that will increase security through allowing 24/7 remote monitoring of transformers.

• The solution is used to deter the vandalism of electricity distribution transformers through sounding an alarm and sending SMS to pre-set mobile phone numbers automatically while sounding an alarm to alert local residents and rapid response teams. The system is designed to detect and pick any form of intrusion and to protect both the pole mounted and ground mounted transformers.

• The system was developed after having identified a huge need to plug the economic sabotage that the ZESA Group and the nation has experienced due to the consequences of transformer vandalism.
• The rollout of the anti-vandal management system will ensure that Powertel plays its role in supporting not only the needs of the ZESA Group but also the fulfilment of Government’s Vision 2030 whose thrust is focused on building a robust digital economy.
• Not only ZETDC will benefit, but ultimately, communities and the nation as a whole benefit through minimizing vandalism of critical infrastructure. One of the dangers of vandalism is that it sets the nation back on the agenda of economic growth as focus is on infrastructure replacement and not expansion to new areas*