ZETDC tariffs effective 2026-09-21
How many ZESA units is US$50
US$50 buys 309.8 kWh of prepaid electricity in Zimbabwe — as your first purchase this month, including the 6% REA levy.
Converted at the published reference rate of ≈ 28.2 ZWG per US$, i.e. about ZWG 1,410.00. You pay ZETDC in ZWG unless you use a USD channel.
Fifty dollars is a serious monthly buy — enough to run a geyser and an electric stove through the month. A large slice of it is charged at upper-band rates, which is why the per-unit average is far above the headline entry price.
Band-by-band breakdown
ZESA charges in six steps each month. Here is exactly where US$50 lands.
| 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 | 100.0 | 4.5169 | ZWG 451.69 |
| 201 – 300 units | 100.0 | 6.4931 | ZWG 649.31 |
| 301 – 400 units | 9.8 | 7.0577 | ZWG 69.04 |
| Total | 309.8 | — | ZWG 1,410.00 (≈ US$50.00) |
That is 77% of your 400 kWh discounted monthly quota. Anything above the quota in the same month is charged at the top band rate.
What US$50 actually runs
309.8 kWh is about 23 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 | 4.3 days |
| Stove plate | 2,000 W | 6.5 days |
| Kettle (2 L) | 2,000 W | 6.5 days |
| Iron | 1,200 W | 11 days |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 13 days |
| Borehole pump (1 hp) | 750 W | 17 days |
| TV + decoder | 120 W | 108 days |
| Five LED bulbs | 50 W | 258 days |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | 1,291 days |
| Fridge / freezer | 1.2 kWh/day | 258 days |
Wattages are typical nameplate figures for appliances sold in Zimbabwe, not metered readings — treat them as a guide to where your units go.
Versus the last schedule
The same 309.8 kWh cost ZWG 1,410.79 under the schedule effective 2026-09-18 (September 2026) — a change of -0.1%, which is why the same note buys a different number of units month to month. See every schedule.
Or start from the units
Working the other way round — what a fixed number of units costs as a first purchase this month. US$50 lands nearest to 300 units.
Already bought units this month?
Then US$50 buys less than 309.8 kWh, 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 amounts
See every amount · Current tariff table · How rates have moved
Questions
- Is US$50 of ZESA always 309.8 units?
- No. ZESA uses a stepped tariff, so the answer depends on how much you have already bought this calendar month. 309.8 kWh assumes this is your first purchase of the month, starting from the cheapest band. Later purchases in the same month buy fewer units for the same money.
- How long does US$50 of ZESA last?
- US$50 buys 309.8 kWh, which is about 23 days for a household that would otherwise use its full 400 kWh monthly quota (≈ 13.3 kWh a day). Use less than that and it lasts proportionally longer.
- 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.