Zambia, for the most part, now has 24-hour electricity. Almost overnight, households moved from candles, inverters and power banks to a supply that felt endless. And just as people adjusted to constant light, they noticed something else: their electricity units were finishing faster than before.
Why Electricity Bills Suddenly Feel Higher
A wide range of theories and rumours quickly followed. With no official announcement of a tariff increase from ZESCO, some questioned whether prices had risen at all, or whether months of load-shedding had simply made people forget how much electricity normally costs. To make sense of the confusion, here is a simple breakdown of how electricity tariffs work and whether common tips about stretching your units actually hold up.
Has ZESCO Increased Electricity Tariffs?
In a statement to parliament, Energy Minister Makozo Chikote stated that he was not aware of any increase in power tariffs and directed ZESCO and the Energy Regulation Board to provide him with a comprehensive report on the concerns from members of the public on the increased electricity tariffs by the 16th of March.
ZESCO operates using a tariff band system, meaning that the price of residential power increases per unit once your consumption crosses certain thresholds.
For the first 0 to 100 units used in a month, electricity is charged at K0.35 per unit. Once consumption moves between 101 and 200 units, the price increases to K1.00 per unit. Usage between 201 and 400 units is charged at K2.42 per unit, and any consumption above 400 units is billed at K3.45 per unit.
Simply put, the more electricity you use, the more expensive each unit becomes. When households were buying power for only a few hours of supply per day, consumption stayed low, and most people remained in the cheaper tariff bands. Now, with longer supply hours, many homes have switched back to electric cooking, charging multiple devices and leaving lights or fans on for longer. Higher usage pushes households into higher tariff bands, which makes electricity feel more expensive even when tariffs have not changed.
Common Myths About Electricity Units in Zambia
Myth 1: If you buy a certain amount, units last longer than usual.
Fact: The number of units you receive per kwacha is determined by the tariff structure and how much electricity you consume. It does not magically stretch because you purchased a larger amount at once. Whether you buy a K50 or a K500, the meter calculates electricity in kilowatt-hours. If your usage stays the same, your units will run out at the same rate.
Myth 2: Electricity units finish faster because tariffs were secretly increased.
Tariff bands have to be publicly approved by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) and cannot be quietly changed overnight. What has changed for many households is power availability. With fewer outages, appliances run for longer hours, pushing some homes into higher tariff bands.
Myth 3: Meters make units disappear faster when there’s constant power
Electricity meters record actual energy consumed; they do not speed up when supply improves. When power is available for more hours in a day, households use more electricity overall. The case is increased usage, not meter manipulation.
Why Constant Power Can Still Mean Higher Bills
The shift from a limited electricity supply to near-constant power has changed household habits, and those habits have increased monthly bills. Public questions about tariffs are valid, just as transparency from ZESCO and the Energy Regulation Board is essential. For now, however, the explanation is less dramatic than the rumours and far more mathematical: when usage rises, costs follow.
