Evidence for Policy: Electricity and Water Utility Provision

The overall objective of the event was to create a forum to discuss how research could help inform policies on utility provision in Zambia. To motivate this discussion case studies of projects recently supported by IGC and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) were presented, and a panel of policy-makers in Zambia shared their views.

The studies presented covered a number of important topics in the water and electricity sectors, including how customers perceive prices and how they respond to changes in prices. An in depth presentation of recent findings from a study by Prof. Kelsey Jack and Mr. Grant Smith from the University of Cape Town discussed the effect of prepaid electricity metering on electricity consumption, household welfare, and revenue in the City of Cape Town. Given that prepaid electricity and water meters are currently also being used in Zambia, with plans to roll them out nationwide, the results from the study has great relevance for stakeholders in Zambia.