ZETDC tariffs effective 2026-09-21
How much is 150 units of ZESA
150 units (kWh) of prepaid electricity costs ZWG 465.81 — about US$16.52 — as your first purchase this month, including the 6% REA levy.
A hundred and fifty units is where the ladder starts to bite: the first hundred are still cheap, and the last fifty fall into the third band at roughly double the entry rate. If your bill suddenly feels wrong, this is usually the crossing that did it.
Band-by-band breakdown
ZESA charges in six steps each month. Here is exactly what 150 units costs.
| Band | Units | ZWG/unit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 50 units | 50.0 | 2.2585 | ZWG 112.93 |
| 51 – 100 units | 50.0 | 2.5408 | ZWG 127.04 |
| 101 – 200 units | 50.0 | 4.5169 | ZWG 225.84 |
| Total | 150.0 | — | ZWG 465.81 (≈ US$16.52) |
That is 38% of your 400 kWh discounted monthly quota. Anything above the quota in the same month is charged at the top band rate.
What 150 units actually runs
150.0 kWh is about 11 days for a household that would otherwise burn through the whole 400 kWh quota in a month. Spent on one appliance at a time, it goes this far:
| Appliance | Typical draw | Runs for |
|---|---|---|
| Electric geyser (150 L) | 3,000 W | 2.1 days |
| Stove plate | 2,000 W | 3.1 days |
| Kettle (2 L) | 2,000 W | 3.1 days |
| Iron | 1,200 W | 5.2 days |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 6.3 days |
| Borehole pump (1 hp) | 750 W | 8.3 days |
| TV + decoder | 120 W | 52 days |
| Five LED bulbs | 50 W | 125 days |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | 625 days |
| Fridge / freezer | 1.2 kWh/day | 125 days |
Wattages are typical nameplate figures for appliances sold in Zimbabwe, not metered readings — treat them as a guide to where your units go.
Average price you pay
ZWG 465.81 for 150 units works out at ZWG 3.1054 per kWh across the bands you touch — your last unit is charged in the “101 – 200 units” band at ZWG 4.5169.
Versus the last schedule
The same 150 units cost ZWG 466.07 under the schedule effective 2026-09-18 (September 2026) — a change of -0.1%. See every schedule.
Starting from money instead?
ZiG 500 is the closest common purchase — it buys about 157.6 kWh.
Already bought units this month?
Then 150 units costs more than ZWG 465.81, because your cheap bands are already used. The calculator takes that into account — enter what you have bought so far.
Open the ZESA calculator →Other unit amounts
- 50 units = ZWG 112.93
- 100 units = ZWG 239.97
- 200 units = ZWG 691.66
- 250 units = ZWG 1,016.31
- 300 units = ZWG 1,340.97
- 400 units = ZWG 2,046.74
See every amount · Current tariff table · How rates have moved
Questions
- Is 150 units of ZESA always ZWG 465.81?
- No. ZESA uses a stepped tariff, so the price depends on how much you have already bought this calendar month. ZWG 465.81 assumes this is your first purchase of the month, starting from the cheapest band. Later purchases in the same month cost more per unit.
- Can I pay for ZESA in US dollars?
- ZETDC bills in ZWG. The ≈ US$16.52 figure uses the published reference rate of about 28.2 ZWG per US$; USD payment channels convert at the rate they offer on the day.
- How long does 150 units of ZESA last?
- About 11 days for a household that would otherwise use its full 400 kWh quota in a month (≈ 13.3 kWh a day). Run less than that and it stretches further: 150 units is 2.1 days of a 3 kW geyser, or 125 days of a fridge on its own.
- Do these prices include the REA levy?
- Yes. Every figure on this page includes the 6% Rural Electrification levy, exactly as ZETDC charges it. Rates are the ZERA-approved schedule effective 2026-09-21.