Zimbabwe power utility, ZESA increased its average electricity tariffs by 320 percent on Wednesday in a bid to enhance power supply.

The increase comes when the country has a huge power deficit attributed to dwindling water levels at the Kariba dam and ageing equipment at Hwange Thermal Power Station.

ZESA has increased electricity tariffs for the second time within three months. The increase comes days after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority also increased fuel prices.

Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of power utility ZESA, in consultation with ZERA raised the tariff to 162.16 cents (10.61 U.S. cents) from 38.61 cents.

New electricity tariffs will see domestic users paying an average of US$0.12 per kWh up from approximately US$0.02. The change will also see low power users (200kWh/month) forking out ZWL157 up from ZWL48.