Higher electricity bills commonplace during winter season — Kharabsheh

AMMAN — The extensive power outages in some areas of Amman during the recent snow storm were unacceptable, and all government institutions should bear responsibility, Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media forum organised by the Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ), Kharabsheh said that power outages can happen in any country when facing exceptional weather conditions, but countries have different levels of readiness to deal with such crises, according to a CDFJ statement.

During the forum, Kharabsheh also noted that the strategic reserves of the Kingdom’s fuel derivatives can meet Jordan’s needs for 60 days.

The minister added that the fuel derivative pricing is calculated based on the average price of a derivative, in addition to the costs of shipment from the country of origin, insurance, unloading, storage, losses, marketing companies’ commission, transport costs from companies to gas stations, losses, commissions of distribution stations and the fixed tax value.

He also noted that fuel prices in Jordan are high, adding that in turn, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh directed the government to reconsider the prices.

Kharabsheh stressed that the government is not satisfied with the price hikes, especially sincethe prices have been steady for the past two months.

The minister said that the decision to maintain the prices for this month will reduce Treasury revenues by about JD40 million.

Regarding complaints of higher electricity bills, Kharabsheh said that they are repeated every year during January, noting that this issue is simply related to prevailing weather conditions that change the consumption of power and place the consumer in a higher consumption category. 

The minister denied allegations that citizens incur the cost of electricity loss.

Commenting on imposing a JD2 fee on renewable energy systems, up from zero, he said that it is normal for any country that introduces a new technology to grant incentives, which happened with e-vehicles, hybrid cars and solar energy systems, before countries impose fees.