Electricity tariff revision:

Consumers below 90 units not affected

Disna MUDALIGE

The government has decided that the proposed tariff increase of eight percent should not affect electricity consumers below 90 units, Power and Energy Ministry official said.

According to the new Electricity Act, amendments to the electricity bill should be done under the supervision of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Even though it was proposed by the PUC to implement the proposed tariff increase to those using more than 60 units, the government has decided to impose this only to the consumers who use over 90 units. This decision is taken in accordance with the State policies and budgetary proposals passed in Parliament.

Power and Energy Ministry sources stressed that 78 percent of the electricity consumers who use below 90 units would have no effect from the tariff increase.

This does not also have any effect to small and medium scale industrialists in the GP 1 sector. According to budgetary proposals a 25 percent decrease from the electricity bill is facilitated for religious places, schools, hospitals and Government Institutions.

A revision of Electricity Tariff would also take place once every six months and it would depend upon the rainfall and changes in oil prices, Ministry sources said.