Much Asphalt moves from Ekurhuleni Tariff C to Tariff E.

Augos moved a Much Asphalt site from the City of Ekurhuleni's Tariff C to Tariff E, its time-of-use tariff, with effect from 1 July 2025. Comparing the amounts the City billed on Tariff E with Tariff C recalculated at 2025/26 rates, Augos's calculation comes to R105,344.39 over October to December 2025, an average of R35,114.80 a month.

What was the situation?

The site was on Tariff C, the City of Ekurhuleni's business and industrial tariff. Its bills read "ELC-BUS/IND 230/400V". Tariff C bills energy, demand, a network access charge and a fixed charge, with one energy rate whatever the time of day.

Tariff E is the City's time-of-use tariff. Its bills read "ELE->230/400V <=11KV" and carry separate peak, standard and off-peak energy registers alongside demand. On a time-of-use tariff, energy used outside peak hours is priced lower, so the answer to "which is cheaper?" depends on when the site uses its electricity.

What did Augos do?

Augos analysed the site's City of Ekurhuleni invoices from August 2024 to January 2025 and priced the usage under both tariffs. Its May 2025 report recommended moving to Tariff E and projected a saving of approximately R540,000 a year, an Augos calculation at 2024/25 rates.

The request went to the City in a letter from the client, asking for the new tariff from the next billing cycle and naming Augos as its appointed representative.

What did the City of Ekurhuleni confirm?

Augos's analyst records the change as effective from 1 July 2025. The City's bills from November 2025 show the time-of-use structure, with separate peak, standard, off-peak and demand registers. That is the verified part: the site is now billed on Tariff E.

The result and how it was calculated

To measure the result, Augos took the amounts the City actually billed on Tariff E and recalculated the same months on Tariff C at 2025/26 rates. All figures are ex VAT.

Month	Difference, Tariff C at 2025/26 rates less Tariff E billed
October 2025	R26,592.85
November 2025	R41,779.54
December 2025	R36,972.00
Total	R105,344.39

That is an average of R35,114.80 a month over three months. The R540,000 a year figure remains the projection from the May 2025 report; three months of billed data is not a full year, and summer and winter rates differ.

Tariff choice and bill accuracy are separate questions

A better tariff does not make every bill right. While analysing the invoices, Augos found that for 1 August to 1 September 2024 the City charged the site the 230/400 V direct-from-substation rates, instead of the rates for the band above 230/400 V and up to 11 kV. Augos calculated the overcharge for that month at R16,272.43 and recommended a query. No credit was on file when this page was written.

The site has also had a back-charge for unbilled consumption after a City meter fault in earlier months. That is a billing accuracy matter, not a result of the tariff change, and it is why Augos checks each bill against the tariff and the measured data rather than assuming a correct tariff means a correct invoice.

What to check on your own site

• Find the tariff line on your City of Ekurhuleni bill. "ELC-BUS/IND 230/400V" means Tariff C.
• Look at when your site uses energy. A load that can stay out of peak hours is the case for time-of-use.
• Price at least six months of invoices, ideally a full year of interval data, under both tariffs, including demand and network charges.
• Check the voltage band on the bill matches your supply.
• After a change, check that the new bills show the time-of-use registers and that the readings are actual, not estimated.

Tariff analysis and bill verification are core to what Augos does. See how tariff optimisation works, or read how electricity tariffs work. To review your own sites, book a demo or call 087 093 6174.