Opinion

Disappointing electricity bills

June 02, 2018
Disappointing electricity bills

Ibrahim Ali Naseeb



Al-Madinah newspaper

Well before summer began, many people started conserving electricity, which was a reaction to the recent increase in electricity tariffs. From turning off non-essential home appliances to talking to their children about the importance of conserving electricity, these people thought their energy-conserving practices would help lower their bills.

However, despite their most sincere efforts, families were surprised to receive electric bills that were higher than before the new tariffs kicked in. For instance, one man received a bill for SR609, a SR40 increase from his previous bill of SR569, which means that his conservation efforts had little or no effect.

This is very disappointing as many people do their best to conserve as much electricity as possible and yet their efforts only result in higher bills. This makes one wonder how bills are calculated. The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) should provide a detailed breakdown, especially for those on limited incomes, of how bills are calculated so that consumers can better adjust their conservation practices. People on limited incomes struggle to cover the costs of living and the rising costs of food, Value Added Tax (VAT), petrol and utility bills, so providing them with a clear breakdown of how their electricity bill is calculated would go a long way in helping them save some money and energy, which is good for the country.

After all of the stories I have heard about failed electricity conservation efforts, I urge readers to try living next month by using as little electricity as possible and write to me about the effect on their electricity bill.


June 02, 2018
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