Paphos People

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

THE ONLY way to find some relief from soaring electricity bills is by finding ways to economise.

This was the message yesterday from the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), the Commerce and Agriculture Ministries and the Federation of Employers and Industrialists (OEV), which announced the opening of the SAVeNERGY and Envirotec fairs later this month.

Repeated increases in the international price of oil, coupled with increased consumption during the cold December-January months have been listed as the reasons behind the exceptionally high bills that many consumers have received this month.

The Cyprus Mail has recently received a string of complaints from readers, shocked by the size of their latest bills.

Asked about the spike, George Petousis, the Executive Manager of the EAC Customer Services Department, said international oil prices had a drastic effect on how much the Authority charged.

“Unfortunately today, there has been a very high increase in mazut prices – around €326 [£191] a metric ton,” Petousis explained. “This is a big increase from the same period last year – at the beginning of 2007, it cost £121 per metric ton and in 2005 it cost £73.”

He explained that the 60 per cent annual increase in mazut prices had translated into a 30 per cent increase in bills for December-January, compared to the same period last year.

Petousis admitted that the Authority itself had received a large number of complaints from consumers who noted a very steep difference in their current bill compared to the one before.

“We will have the same situation in the summer: throughout the coming months, consumers will receive lower bills, then come September – after all the air-conditioning and increased consumption needs – all the complaints will start flooding in again,” he said.

Asked to explain why the public was never informed beforehand when there would be raises, Petousis sidestepped the question by saying the Authority carried out a number of campaigns to encourage consumers to save energy.

According to Energy Regulator Solon Kassinis, 94 per cent of Cyprus’ electricity is imported oil. And as the General Manager of OEV pointed out, with oil prices continuously rising, the situation can only get worse.

“Sadly, Cyprus is dependent on imported oil; with oil prices currently being $106 to $107 a barrel, this is a burning issue,” said OEV’s Michalis Pyrgos.

“We are helped by our accession to the eurozone, what with the euro being stronger, but the pressure is still huge on our economy,” he added.

“So we play a role in developing the public’s conscience on energy saving. The way things are going, we have no choice but to find other ways.”
The two fairs – open to the public for free from March 21 until March 23 at the State Fair – will present over 20 products and methods that can contribute to saving valuable energy and water.

This is the fourth year in a row that the fairs have taken place, and Pyrgos said he hoped there would be an increase in public attendance from last year, when more than 25,000 people showed up.

But this is of no help to those who believe they have been ripped off by the EAC, which holds the monopoly in electricity production in Cyprus.

“My electricity bill this month increased by €220 and all I did differently was use a heater,” said one reader. “Was the heater accountable for €220 worth of electricity? I am very confused.”

“I was shocked,” said another. “Especially as I have been using oil heating, I have not been using electricity to heat my house. I am really terrified of what will happen in the summer when we will be using the air-conditioning units in the house.”

The Head of the Consumers’ Association, Petros Markou, claims there was nothing untoward going on with the bills.

He too said that international oil price increases and the cold weather were to blame. But he added that the Association had on many occasions urged the EAC to better inform the public on when there will be increases, so they can at least be prepared for what’s to come.

“We have called on the EAC to explain to the public what is going on,” said Markou. “On the other hand, the EAC must also understand that this is a problem that needs to be looked into collectively, with all the relative bodies, so ways can be found to deal with it.”

He pointed out that the more vulnerable sectors of society – especially those living in mountain areas – were bearing the brunt of the problem.

“We have called on the EAC to examine the matter with the Finance Ministry. Seeing that we have such a big problem, it is the state’s job at least to help the financially weaker classes.”



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