HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Already frazzled by the high inflation rate which has led to a rise in food prices and transport costs, electricity consumers have been thrown into confusion by social media claims that power tariffs have been increased to the extent that Shs10,000 can purchase only four or five units.
However, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has dismissed the claims as false, insisting that electricity tariffs for the fourth quarter of 2026, covering October to December, have not changed.
In a statement dated Friday, October 16, 2026, and issued through the Uganda Media Centre, the regulator said the circulating information was misleading and urged consumers to consult the officially approved tariff schedule.
“The claim is false. The end-user electricity tariffs for the fourth quarter of 2026, covering October to December, have been approved and published. The approved rates remain unchanged,” ERA said.
The authority’s clarification comes at a time when households and businesses remain sensitive to the cost of essential services, with any perceived increase in electricity prices likely to raise concerns about household budgets and the cost of doing business.
ERA explained that it is the statutory body mandated to determine and approve electricity tariffs in Uganda, distancing itself from suggestions that the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) had independently increased the charges imposed on consumers.
“UEDCL is a licensed electricity distribution company. It applies the approved tariffs when supplying and billing customers but does not independently set or change them,” the statement said.
The distinction is significant because electricity distributors implement the rates approved by the regulator, while the authority is responsible for determining the tariffs that licensed providers are allowed to charge.
Under the Electricity Act, Cap 157, ERA is empowered to regulate the electricity sector, including the approval of tariffs. The process involves reviewing costs and economic conditions affecting power supply, including exchange rates, inflation, fuel prices and the electricity generation mix.
The regulator assesses relevant information and tariff proposals before approving the rates. The resulting tariff schedule is then published for consumers and service providers to access.
ERA said the approved fourth-quarter tariff schedule can be obtained through its official communication channels and those of UEDCL, urging consumers to rely on verified information instead of unsubstantiated social media posts.
The published domestic tariff structure provides for different rates depending on consumption levels and the applicable customer category.
Qualifying domestic consumers pay Shs250 per unit for the first 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh) under the lifeline tariff. Eligibility is restricted to households whose rolling average monthly consumption over the preceding six months does not exceed 100kWh.
The standard domestic tariff is Shs779.4 per unit, while the Fumba cooking tariff offers a rate of Shs412 per unit for a 70-unit bundle intended to encourage households to adopt electric cooking.
These differences mean the number of units obtained for Shs10,000 depends on the tariff applicable to a particular consumer. At Shs250 per unit, the amount would purchase approximately 40 units, while at Shs412 it would buy about 24 units. At the standard rate of Shs779.4, it would purchase approximately 12.8 units, before any applicable adjustments.
Consequently, claims about how much electricity a fixed amount of money can purchase need to be assessed against the customer’s tariff category rather than treated as evidence of a general tariff adjustment.
Commercial and industrial consumers also pay different rates depending on their classification and consumption requirements.
Commercial customers under code 10.2 have an average tariff of Shs562.1 per kWh, with peak and off-peak rates of Shs666.5 and Shs429.7, respectively. Medium manufacturing industries pay an average of Shs363.8 per kWh, while qualifying large industrial consumers pay average rates ranging from Shs290.6 to Shs308.1 per kWh.
Extra-large industrial consumers pay an average of Shs207.7 per kWh, while public amenities are charged an average of Shs360 per kWh.
The regulator’s statement seeks to reassure electricity users that the published October–December schedule remains in force, despite claims circulating online.
About the Author
