03 Aug 2026

Government is aware of the challenges currently affecting the availability of electricity metres and service cables, which have impacted the pace of new electricity connections in some parts of the country, including the North West District, Parliament has heard.

Answering a parliamentary question recently, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo, said the main contributing factors included increased demand for new connections, widespread vandalism of electricity infrastructure and the overall financial sustainability of the current Free Electricity Connection Programme. 

Nonetheless, Ms Kenewendo assured MPs that government and the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) had put in place measures to strengthen procurement, improve security of supply and ensure that customer connections continued while longer-term reforms were implemented.

Detailing the extent of the crisis, Minister Kenewendo revealed that the national backlog was currently at 25 349 electricity metres and required approximately P45 million to fully address as well as 1 267 450 metres of service cable, which required about P139 million. 

She stated that such severe shortages had significantly delayed timely connections for customers awaiting electricity supply across the country.

The shortage of service cables, Ms Kenewendo noted, had been heavily exacerbated by increasing theft, with BPC recording an average of 10 incidents of service cable theft per day, forcing the utility to constantly divert replacement cables that would otherwise go to new customer installations. Currently, she said the cost of replacing stolen cables was borne directly by the corporation.

Regarding electricity metres, the minister explained that the primary challenge was not lack of supply from manufacturers, but the funding needed to procure sufficient volumes. 

She also told legislators that demand had surged due to new applications and the accumulated backlog under the Free Electricity Connection Programme. 

The programme, she said, was financed through the 10-thebe electricity consumer levy, which she noted had failed to keep pace with the growing demand for household connections.

Addressing supply chains, Ms Kenewendo outlined upcoming shipments and source markets, saying “Electricity metres are currently sourced from South Africa. However, government expects greater supplier diversification following the conclusion of a recently completed procurement process. 

Also, she indicated that BPC received 3 500 metres during the first week of July this year and planned to order at least 5 000 more within the coming week, with delivery expected in seven days.  Meanwhile, she said anti-theft service cables were being sourced from China, with BPC expecting a delivery of 14 000 metres this week (August 3) and an additional 100 000 metres scheduled between August and October this year. The minister explained that BPC allocated available metres and service cables across its service areas based on operational demand and the queue of pending connections.  The approach, she said ensured that limited stock was distributed equitably nationwide while prioritising high-need areas. 

However, she acknowledged that allocations to the North West District currently remained below local demand due to the nationwide deficit. To that effect, she said government was executing both immediate and structural interventions. “BPC is transitioning to vandal-resistant anti-theft cables to eliminate repeated replacements. Additionally, BPC has authorised private contractors to procure service cables directly where necessary to avoid unnecessary delays while the corporation replenishes central stock, alongside maximising procurement within available credit limits as resources allow,” she added.

Ms Kenewendo was confident that the combined deliveries scheduled through October, alongside such operational changes, would progressively reduce the backlog and speed up household connections nationwide, including in the North West District. 

She reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensuring that every Motswana gained access to reliable electricity while building BPC’s capacity to deliver efficiently.

MP for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile had asked the minister to outline the challenges facing BPC regarding metre and cable shortages and particularly highlight the magnitude of the problem in the North West District. 

Mr Kekgonegile further wanted to know the root causes of the shortages, where the materials were sourced, recent procurement volumes and the exact stock allocations designated for the Maun BPC office against local demand, including how and when the discrepancy would be resolved. ENDS