Academy for Educational Development

AED is helping Zambia balance the need for energy companies to make a profit with customers' needs for affordable and reliable energy.

As part of ongoing assistance to the Energy Regulation Board of Zambia (ERB), funded by the United States Agency for International Development, AED worked the Review Board and Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation to organize public meetings throughout the country to seek input on electricity concerns; to assess people’s understanding of the rights and responsibilities of electricity consumers, suppliers and the ERB; and to educate and inform people of the ERB and its role in the electricity delivery process.

These public meetings are the first of their kind held with Zambia’s electricity consumers. Stakeholders ranging from subsistence farmers and agribusiness to residential and industrial users, as well as local politicians, the media, and leading civil society organizations, came together to voice their opinions and concerns.

It marked the first time that representatives of the regulator or utility had come directly to local consumers to solicit their feedback and input regarding electricity service and consumer rights.  

USAID, AED, and the ERB used inputs from the public meetings to craft the Electricity Charter, which outlined the rights and responsibilities of electricity consumers.  The Charter is a pledge of trust and commitment between the regulator, utility and consumer to help address the electricity service information gap that exists among the general public.

The Electricity Consumer Charter of Zambia has been translated from English into seven local languages, and is displayed in each of  the electric company’s “pay point” offices throughout Zambia. Electricity customers register for new service, report service problems, and pay their bills at these pay point offices, which can also serve as key information centers for electricity, health and other community news.

By providing a clear definition of what is expected from all stakeholders, the Charter clears the way for the transition to a more commercialized energy sector with improved service delivery, billing, payment, and grid extension.

Click here to view the Electricity Consumer Charter of Zambia.

For more information, contact:  Mary Worzala