Cambodia: ‘No plan’ to reduce electricity bills nationwide

• Apr 15, 2020

Despite the reduction of electricity tariffs for factory workers suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC), the autonomous government agency responsible for managing and administering electric power in the country, has said that “a general plan for electricity bill reduction has yet to be raised.”

Yim Piseth, the chairman of EAC, points to the fact that the government already has a policy of decreasing electricity tariffs annually.

“As far as we are concerned, this measure, which was implemented in 2015, helps the Kingdom’s population,” he said.

Currently, the price of electricity is charged on a sliding scale, starting from 380 riel ($0.095) per kWh for those who use less than 10 kWh per month and rising to 480 riel per kWh for electricity usage of between 11 kWh to 50 kWh per month. If power used registers between 51 to 200 kWh in the same period, it will be charged at 610 riel per kWh, with a 730 riel per kWh tariff for any usage of over 200 kWh per month.

Victor Jona, director-general of Energy at the Ministry of Mines and Energy backed up Yim’s comments, citing the narrow profit margins that Electricite du Cambodge (one of the nation’s leading power suppliers) are working with.

“We have recently made our annual reduction so it is unlikely we will make a further cut. The low profits EDC make are needed for further investment of power transmission lines into areas currently with no power,” he said.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy has claimed that by 2020, no areas of Cambodia will be without electricity.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50713248/no-plan-to-reduce-electricity-bills-nationwide/