What will push electricity bills higher this winter and practical ways to cut them

As temperatures fall, households face a familiar squeeze: rising electricity bills driven by higher winter demand and recent tariff increases. According to The Citizen, a combination of national and municipal price rises plus seasonal consumption patterns will push many home energy accounts higher unless people take steps to reduce use.

Tariff rises and the timing of increases

The Citizen reports that Eskom implemented an 8.76% increase effective 1 April 2026. Municipalities will apply their own increases on 1 July, with early indications of hikes ranging from 7% to 13% depending on the supplier. The publication says this dual rise in tariffs, paired with winter demand, creates a strong upward pressure on household bills.

Which parts of the home drive winter costs

The Citizen identifies three areas that contribute most to winter energy costs: heating, geysers and increased appliance use. The report highlights that homes lose heat through drafts, poor insulation, bare floors and uncovered windows, which increases the need for continuous heating and therefore electricity consumption.

The Citizen also states that the geyser is the largest single energy draw in many homes, accounting for over 40% of a household’s electricity bill. The platform explains that colder incoming water and greater heat loss in winter mean geysers must work harder, and that keeping a geyser on all day is an expensive practice.

Practical steps to reduce winter bills

The Citizen and Standard Bank’s LookSee platform outline several mitigation actions households can take now:

• Improve heat retention by sealing doors and windows, using thicker curtains and adding rugs or carpets to reduce heat loss.
• Change geyser usage patternsswitching off the geyser when possible or fitting a timer to avoid keeping it on all day.
• Consider converting existing geysers to be partly powered by solar panels rather than replacing the whole system; LookSee data indicates households using this low-cost conversion approach can save around R600 per month on average, depending on usage.
• Adopt energy-efficient behaviours and shift consumption to off-peak times where feasible.

LookSee’s approach

The Citizen quotes Standard Bank’s LookSee and LookSee Head Marc du Plessis on targeting the highest-consumption areas rather than solely cutting comfort.

“Many households focus on reducing usage by cutting back on comfort but this approach is often difficult to sustain and does not always address the biggest cost drivers,”

The Citizen describes LookSee’s online Smart Save Journey as a tool that “analyses the details of your home and electricity usage to help you understand how energy efficient your household is”, and that it produces a tailored roadmap for savings and potential home solutions.

What this means for households

With national and municipal tariff increases already rolling out and winter consumption set to rise, The Citizen warns that many households will see noticeable increases in their electricity bills this season. The publication stresses that targeting high-impact areas like geysers and reducing heat loss can make the biggest difference to costs.