1. OVERVIEW ON THE MUNICIPAL GUIDELINE,BENCHMARKS
& PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR THE 2015/16 FINANCIAL YEAR
PRESENTATION TO SALGA, AMEU & NT
02 DECEMBER 2014

2. Contents Mandate and legal requirements
NERSA’s municipal tariff approval process
Determination of the tariff guideline increase
Requirements for tariffs above guideline
Development of the municipal tariff benchmarks
Stakeholder consultation process
Proposed timelines

3. Mandate and legal requirements
The Electricity Regulation Act
Section 4 (a) (ii) The Regulator must regulate prices and tariffs
Section 15 (1) A licence condition determined under section 14 relating to the setting or approval of prices, charges and tariffs and regulation of revenues –
Must enable an efficient licensee to recover the full cost of its licensed activities, including a reasonable margin or return
Section 15 (2) A licensee may not charge a customer any other tariff and make use of provisions in agreement other than that approved by the Regulator as part of its licensing conditions
Section 45 (1) (b) For the purposes of this Act, any person authorised thereto in writing by the Regulator may require any person to furnish to the Regulator such information, returns or other particulars as may be necessary for the proper application of this Act
Section 45 (2) the Regulator may require that the information, return or particulars furnished under subsection (1) be verified on oath or by way of solemn declaration

4. NERSA’s Municipal tariff approval process
Currently municipal tariffs are approved on an annual basis upon application by the licensees
Licensees apply to NERSA for the approval of their tariffs – this must be supported by information pertinent to the individual municipality
There are 186 licensed distributors municipalities and 12 private distributors
The process is dependent on the approved Eskom prices under the Multi-year Price Determination (MYPD) process
NERSA approved the Eskom prices/revenues on 27 November 2014
In accordance with the MFMA the municipal tariff application process must be finalised by 15 March annually , to allow for the municipal budgetary processes and public consultations
Approved tariffs are communicated to the municipalities and are published on the NERSA website
SALGA and other stakeholders to encourage municipalities to apply on time for the 2015/16 financial year tariff review in order to meet the 15 March deadline

5. Municipal Tariff Guideline

6. Determination of the tariff guideline
When determining the guideline percentage increase the following issues were considered:
The information from the 2012/13 distribution forms was used to determine the changes of the cost structures.
The selection of the D-forms was based on the availability of the required data used in the model for the revision of the municipal cost structure weights.
A stratified random sampling of municipalities was used to determine the weights of the cost structures.

7. Determination of the tariff guideline cont….
The table below represents the revised weights of the cost drivers used in determining the electricity costs of supply:
Cost Category
% of total costs
Energy Purchases 73
Salaries & wages 10
Repairs & Maintenance 6
Capital Charges 4
Other costs 7

8. Determination of the tariff guideline cont….
Assumptions made on the weighted average cost increases:
Bulk purchase based on Eskom’s approved price increase of 14.24% to municipalities
CPI ( As indicated in the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement 2014)
Salary & Wages (As indicated in Circular No. 6/2012: Salary and Wage Collective Agreements indicated in the wage settlement agreement)
Repairs and maintenance, capital charges and other costs have been increased by CPI

9. Determination of the guideline cont.
The formula used for calculating the guideline
MG = (B x BPI) + (S x SI) + (R x RI) + (C x CCI) + (OC x OCI)
Where:
MG = Municipal guideline increase
B & BPI = Municipal bulk purchases and its increase
S & SI = salaries & salary increase
R & RI = repairs & maintenance and its increases
C & CCI = capital charges & its increases
OC & OCI = other costs and its increases ;

10. Requirements for tariffs above the guideline increase
Municipalities applying for an increase that is above the guideline have to justify their increases to the Energy Regulator and the following actions would be expected:
a detailed plan on the additional funds requested needs to be presented to NERSA as part of the motivation for above guideline increase.
the approved funds must be ring-fenced to ensure that it is strictly utilised for the identified projects;
municipalities must report to NERSA on a six-monthly basis on how the additional funds are utilised;
funds not utilised for the purpose for which they were approved for will be clawed back in the following financial year.

11. Municipal Tariff Benchmarks

12. Municipal Tariff Benchmarks - Purpose
NERSA develops benchmarks in order for municipalities to charge reasonable prices
The benchmark levels are developed in order to ensure that tariffs across municipalities are not vastly different
This assists in the rationalisation of prices
Eskom’s tariffs were considered in developing the benchmarks and a mark-up added where necessary

13. The municipal tariffs and customer categories
For the purpose of benchmarking NERSA considers the following customer and tariff classes:
Domestic Tariffs ( with IBT & without IBT)
Domestic Low : low residential consumption users
Domestic High : high residential consumption users
Commercial Tariffs
Prepaid: business customers that are connected on single and three phase
Conventional : business customers that are connected on conventional phase
Industrial Tariffs
Based on Eskom’s Nightsave
Based on Eskom’s Megaflex
Time of Use ( TOU)
Agriculture
Prepaid : customers with single phase metered supplies
Conventional: customers with dual or three phase metered supplies

14. The municipal assumed consumption levels

15. The review of the municipal tariff applications
Municipal tariffs are approved on an annual basis
On reviewing tariff applications, NERSA considers
The current municipal tariff levels
The tariffs in comparison to NERSA approved benchmarks
The efficiency of municipal operations (technical and financial). All this information is from the municipal d-forms
The proposed municipal tariff structures and the level of cross-subsidisation
Any assistance that may be necessary to be provided to the municipalities

16. NERSA’s financial benchmarks
Municipalities are currently regulated using the following predefined financial and technical benchmarks
These ratios/benchmarks give a view on the overall performance of the municipality
They also allow one to determine the efficiency within which the applicant is performing

17. Revised and New benchmarks
The 2014/15 average tariffs were increased by the municipal tariff guideline increase
NERSA has developed new benchmarks for the three-phase commercial tariffs, holiday homes, churches, schools, halls, clinics, old age homes and similar supplies.
A formula together with Eskom’s respective rates were used to determine the average consumptions and benchmark levels.

18. Revised and New benchmarks Cont.
The formula used for calculating the average consumption levels:
AC= (LF*A*V/1000*1.732*24*30.34)
Where:
AC = Average Consumption
LF = Load Factor
A = Ampere
V = Volt
1.732= Square root of 3
24 = Hours in a day
30.34 = Number of days in a month

19. Stakeholder consultation process
The determination is done in consultation with the following stakeholders:
A meeting was held with National Treasury
Publication of the consultation paper for stakeholder comments
Workshops with AMEU , SALGA & National Treasury
Consideration of stakeholder comments
Energy Regulator approves the guideline, benchmarks and proposed timelines
Decision communicated to all stakeholders

20. Proposed Timelines

21. Timelines for municipal tariff Guideline & Benchmark

22. Timelines for municipal tariff approval process

23. Timelines for municipal tariff approval process cont.

24. Questions

25. Thank You