URA: Electricity bill in July ‘appeared' high due to halt in discount

Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) states that the electricity bill in the month of July appeared unusually high because the government had cut the discount which was granted on the bills in the months prior. 

URA had launched an investigation into the case on July 30, following complaints from multiple State Electric Company (STELCO) customers regarding unusually high bills. 

URA published two key findings of the investigation this Tuesday. 

The authority said that while the government had granted a 40 percent discount on electricity bills sent to customers in June [for electricity usage from May-June], the discount wasn’t granted in July, resulting in a significant difference in bills between the two months. 

Some customers had argued that they had been out on vacation during the Eid holidays – which fell in July this year - but still had high electricity bills. 

However, URA said that the bills sent by STELCO in July were for electricity consumption between approximately June 10 and July 10. 

The authority said that though the bill was sent in late July, it did not include the amount billed for electricity consumption during the Eid holiday – which was from July 19-30. 

The findings of URA are in line with STELCO’s statement back in July.