The innovative African kilowatt-hour

There is a worldwide resurgence of interest in pricing electricity. Whether motivated by deregulation and the treat of competition (as in England and New Zealand) or by restructuring of regulatory goals to encourage competition or conservation (as in the United States), electricity suppliers and distributors are seeing pricing as a means of safeguarding, maintaining, increasing sales. South Africa is no exception in this regard. Past and proposed new developments in electricity pricing in the South African electricity supply industry are discussed, in response to pressures across several fronts: pressures from customers to reduce electricity prices to facilitate growth and survival in the South African economy; the national electrification program; the appointment of the National Electricity Regulator; moves by Southern African electricity utilities to establish a Southern African grid. The current status of electricity pricing, metering, demand profile research and demand management in South Africa are overviewed. (author)