Ammon News -

The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) on Tuesday released a statement explaining the new electric tariff announced August last year, which will come into effect on April 1st.

The commission said that subscribers who have more than one electric meter registered to their name, but are used by tenants, relatives or others, will be eligible for the subsidization, only if they are the breadwinners and they meet the required conditions.

Additionally, a beneficiary can still benefit from the subsidized electric tariff even if the electric meter is not registered to their name. Despite that, a beneficiary is allowed to transfer the ownership of the meter to themselves if they would like to. To that end, electricity distribution companies have been instructed to cut red-tape related to transferring ownership without extra costs until the end of June of the current year, the commission added.

Most Jordanian households will not be affected by the new electricity tariff, the EMRC underlined. Subscribers whose monthly bill was at JD50 or less (about 600 kWh consumption) will not be affected, it said, noting that it may even cost less. However, subscribers with more than 600 kWh consumption will see an increase on their monthly bill and will not be eligible for subsidization.

The aim of new electricity tariff was to cannel government subsidization into Jordanian households, and cut electricity costs for a number of vital economic sectors such as the commercial, industrial, hotel, agricultural and hospitals sectors, the commission underscored.

Moreover, the maximum load tariff for various sectors was nixed, which will reduce operational costs, increase competitiveness and create more job opportunities.

On the groups benefiting from the subsidized electric tariff for households, the commission indicated that each Jordanian family is eligible for the subsidization, but for one electric meter only. This includes Jordanian women who are the breadwinners for their family, the beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund and the Royal Makruma (benefaction), in addition to families, who have temporary Jordanian passports and the people of the Gaza Strip residing in Jordan.

There are two types of subsidies for household tariffs; the first is a fixed JD2 - 2.5 subsidy deducted directly from the bill in accordance with the consumption, while the second subsidy is determined according to the consumption segments that have been reduced from 7 to 3 segments.

Further details can be found on the following link: https://emrc.gov.jo/Pages/viewpage?pageID=368

On the registration mechanism for those eligible for household subsidization, the commission said that it will make an announcement over the next few days.