ZESCO counsels maximum demand clients
By BUSINESS REPORTER ZESCO Limited has urged its clients such as those in Maximum Demand (MD) category to take advantage of reduced electricity rates during offpeak hours.
According to Zesco, using electricity at off-peak hours when the grid demand was low allowed customers to take advantage of reduced electricity rates which enabled them to control their costs and the savings could be translated into business growth.
Zesco public relations manager, Hazel Zulu, explained that the Time-of-Use tariff plan featured prices that varied by time period, being higher in peak periods and lower in off-peak periods.
“This implies that Maximum Demand and agricultural customers who deliberately shift production hours from standard to off peak periods will enjoy lower prices of up to 50 percent reduction in demand charges and 25 percent reduction in energy charges in electricity bills,
“We therefore want to encourage Maximum Demand and agricultural customers to take advantage of the Time of Use tariff plan and maximize production during off peak periods to benefit from reduced electricity rates, translating into the profitability of their businesses,” she said.
Ms. Zulu has since said in a statement that “as an institution, we will continue to introduce attractive energy saving interventions that are aimed at safeguarding the interests of the customer while promoting economic growth.”
Zesco’s time of use periods are categorised as follows: 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours - Standard Time 18:00 hours to 22:00 hours - Peak Time 22:00 hours to 06:00 hours - Off-Peak Time.