Keetmans clears N$15 million NamPower debt
KEETMANSHOOP – The Keetmanshoop municipality has managed to settle its NamPower debt that stood at N$15 million in 2017.
The municipality’s spokesperson Dawn Kruger told Nampa in an interview this week that they had accumulated the N$15 million debt after the Southern Electricity Company (SELCo), which managed the electricity supply at the southern town for 16 years, failed to honour NamPower invoices amounting to N$11 million for March and April 2017.
Kruger said the reduction of the electricity capacity in some customers’ homes played a role in the municipality paying off the arrears as customers were able to pay off their bills on a monthly basis.
“We also put an agreement in place with NamPower that if we pay a certain portion of the arrears and the current bills for 12 months, they would not charge us interest on the arrears. That went a long way in helping us settle that amount as did the introduction of prepaid electricity for pensioners,” she stated.
Kruger further explained that when the Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit took over from SELCo, it did investigations – and where necessary, the electricity network was upgraded and safeguarded.
The introduction of fines for those who illegally connect electricity also cut electricity losses – and in addition, the municipality also collected data to see how many electricity meters are tampered with.
Earlier this year, the municipality said residents found bypassing or tampering with electricity meters can be fined up to N$16 000.
Kruger said the municipality is looking at additional ways to reduce its electricity losses and educating the inhabitants of the town on how to save electricity.
She said the municipality on average pays N$5.1 million to Nam Power monthly for electricity. - Nampa