By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) announced new deadlines for municipalities to submit their electricity tariff applications for the 2026/27 financial year.
Nersa said, municipalities or distributors must submit their electricity tariff applications by no later than March 31, 2026.
The public consultation process on municipal tariff applications will conclude on April 21. It will finalise the consideration of the municipal electricity tariff applications and communicate its decisions on or before May 11.
The timelines will ensure Nersa considers municipal tariffs timeously and will enable municipalities to implement approved tariffs at the beginning of the 2026/27 municipal financial year on July 1.
These timelines follow the recent approval of State-owned Eskom’s Retail Tariff and Structural Adjustment (ERTSA) application and the judgment of the North Gauteng High Court issued on February 20, which amended the timelines set by the same court on December 4, 2025, in terms of the approval of the ERTSA and municipalities’ tariff applications.
Nersa approved Eskom’s ERTSA application on March 5, which authorised a 9.01% tariff increase and will be effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
The municipal tariff applications are available on Nersa’s website for review by affected stakeholders and members of the public wishing to submit written comments.
The revised timelines are intended to ensure regulatory certainty, transparency and the orderly implementation of electricity tariffs for the upcoming financial year.