10 Sep 2026

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) has urged residents of Selebi Phikwe to embrace solar energy and remain vigilant against subpar energy products and services.

Speaking at a recent kgotla meeting in the Botshabelo area, BERA licensing manager, Advocate Nelson Sebalo said government continued to promote solar power as an alternative to curb environmental degradation and global warming.

“Government continues to promote electricity generation from solar energy to transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable power source,” Advocate Sebalo stated, noting that conventional generation methods contributed to climate-changing emissions. 

Given the country’s abundant sunlight, he added that solar power was a viable and necessary solution to strengthen national energy capacity. The meeting also addressed consumer rights and local grievances regarding energy products. 

For his part, Mr Clemet Nicholas from BERA’s consumer protection and dispute resolution unit encouraged residents to know their rights, use available protection structures and report disputes with suppliers. One resident, Ms Kebaagetse Thako expressed concern that local gas retailers often delivered substandard service that left customers confused.  Ms Thako called for better quality-verification measures and requested that gas cylinders featured clear capacity indicators to help buyers to make informed decisions.

 Organised to educate the public, business owners and energy providers, the kgotla meeting highlighted BERA’s core mandate, focusing on both renewable energy licensing requirements and consumer protection. ENDS