The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has said households do not require a licence to use generators.
This comes after EMA ordered a Harare resident to pay a fine of ZWL$100 000 for illegally operating “an air polluting appliance (generator) without a licence”.
The development caused panic among members of the public as many are now using generators to light their homes due to recurrent load shedding.
EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Manager Amkela Sidange told The Herald that only industrial and commercial generators attract a levy. She said:
As a matter of fact, Section 64 of the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20:27) clearly stipulates that, “no owner or operator of a trade or any establishment shall emit a substance or energy which causes or is likely to cause air pollution without an emission licence”, thus clearly indicating that this is an operation at commercial level or for industrial use.
… a generator becomes the appliance and if it is consuming more than 5kg per hour of fuel, and being used for commercial purposes or industrial use, then it must be licenced by the Agency.
According to a notice issued by EMA, owners of generators with an installed capacity of 100kW and above should be licenced. It reads in part:
… it is necessary that all standby generators in Zimbabwe be registered with the Authority and all operators of generators with an installed capacity of 100kW and above be licensed, so that safety compliance can be monitored.
This is therefore to notify and advice the public that in terms of the law under the said Act:
a) All owners of electricity generators equipment are required to register their generators with the Authority.
b) All operators of generating equipment of installed capacity of 100 kW and above are required in terms of Section 40 of the Act, to apply to the Authority for a licence.
c) Companies operating private distribution networks should, in terms of Section 40 of the Act, apply to the Authority for a licence to operate such networks
To download the EMA standby generator registration and licencing form, click here.