Umeme charges sh326,000 for a one-pole service

Oct 06, 2005

SIR — We refer to a letter entitled, “Why doesn’t Umeme learn from National Water?” published on September 22. The writer alleges that Umeme charges sh500,000 for a one-pole service, excluding “surveying and all the other accessories”.

SIR — We refer to a letter entitled, “Why doesn’t Umeme learn from National Water?” published on September 22. The writer alleges that Umeme charges sh500,000 for a one-pole service, excluding “surveying and all the other accessories”. We would like to clarify as follows:

  • The cost of a one-pole service is sh326,000.


  • Prospective customers are also required to pay a security deposit of sh100, 000, which is refundable upon termination of a customer’s service with Umeme. This fee is arrived at based on a three-month average consumption.


  • The actual cost of a one- pole service is 1,170,000, meaning that the customer only pays 30 percent of the true cost.


  • According to Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) regulations, a prospective customer (in the case of a domestic one) is required to pay sh41,000 as an installation inspection fee, a service which Umeme then carries out on behalf of ERA to certify wiring compliance.

  • On the issue of the way leaves (passage of electric poles and wires), it is a statutory requirement to obtain permission from landowners before any construction work is done.

    It is not Umeme’s policy to require customers to arrange for such wayleaves.

    However, there are occasions where such an applicant may have access to the landowner (possibly being that they are neighbours) from whom the wayleave is required, and may assist (voluntarily) to speed up the process.

    Improving customer care is one of our core values and we would request the writer (who chose anonyminity) or indeed any customer who is not satisfied with our service, to contanct us through our customer service line 185 or to contanct the undersigned.

    Robert Kisubi
    Corporate Communications Manager

    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});