The following three categories of membership are available: Full Member, Affiliate – Corporate, and Affiliate – Individual. A Full Member is defined as an organization that generates, transmits or distributes electricity. An Affiliate Member is defined as an organisation or an individual, and includes, inter alia, manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, associations, academics, researchers or financiers with an allied interest to the PIESA.

Members currently include electricity distributors from the following countries: DRC, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Funding of the PIESA is obtained from membership fees, voluntary contributions, grants, loans and income from services. Membership fees are determined through a "Cost Sharing Principle" based on an agreed formula. The cost associated with participation in the Advisory Committees' is carried by the member utilities and organisations.