More overwhelmed by electricity bills

Di-Ve
12 January 2010 -- 15:50CEST

by John Paul Cordina - editorial@di-ve.com

Current Affairs --

Although figures for the last 2 months are not yet available, the number of commercial accounts whose electricity supply was suspended due to pending bills more than doubled last year, when compared to 2008.
Figures provided by Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt in Parliament show that Enemalta suspended the electricity supply for 459 commercial accounts between January and October 2009. The figure represents a 125 per cent increase over 2008, when just 204 commercial accounts were subject to a suspension of electricity supply.

The number of residential accounts subject to suspensions also grew, although not as sharply. Whereas 1,605 residential accounts saw their supply suspended due to non-payment in 2008, 2,148 accounts were subject to suspension in the first 10 months of last year.

Prior to 2009, the largest number of suspended accounts since records started being kept (in 2005) was 2007, when supply to 2,217 accounts – 1,989 residential and 228 non-residential ones – was suspended.

Higher electricity rates were published on December 2008, backdated to October 1, and were subject to strong opposition from unions, employers and political parties outside government. Rates were reduced on April 2009, following a drop in oil prices, although they were raised again on January 1, again with strong opposition.

On Wednesday, the MCESD will be meeting specifically to discuss the latest increase in water and electricity rates.