New slabs, rates for wate, electricity for 2015

Come 2015, and water and electricity will cost more in Abu Dhabi. The Regulation and Supervision Bureau in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) and Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC) has announced the new structure of water and electricity tariffs for Abu Dhabi, effective January 1, 2015.

In a media statement, the company said that the changes aim to encourage the efficient use of water and electricity, and raise awareness of the importance of reducing consumption to support the sustainable growth of the emirate and to ensure supply of water and electricity and securing its resources and its diversification.

“The restructuring of tariff will help drive understanding of the true value of water and electricity which, in turn, supports the sustainable growth of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,” said Saif Al Qubaisi, Acting Director General of the Regulation and Supervision Bureau.

According to the slabs, while UAE nationals are currently exempt from paying any charges for utilising water, they will be charged a fee of between Dh1.7 and Dh1.89 per thousand litres, depending on the consumption.

Water tariff for expats, meanwhile, will change from a flat Dh2.2 per thousand litres to between Dh5 and Dh5.5 per thousand litres, depending on the consumption.

On the other hand, UAE nationals will be charged between 5 and 5.5 fils per kWh as power tariff, as opposed to the current flat rate of 5 filer per kWh. For expats, the slab changes from the current flat rate of 15 fils per kWh to 21 fils (for up to 20 kWh per day) and a cost-reflective tariff for consumption above 20 kWh a day.

“The smart use of natural resources is one of the guiding principles for Abu Dhabi. Over the past few months, we have been actively raising awareness of the importance of conserving our precious resources for future generations,” Al Qubaisi added.

The changes to the tariff structure are part of a wider initiative aimed at driving behavioural change in how water and electricity are currently consumed in the emirate.

“We all have a part to play in reducing consumption. With small changes to our daily habits we can make a big difference, especially if we all act together,” he said.

In March 2012, new water and electricity bills were introduced to allow better understanding and at-a-glance visibility of whether usage was ideal average - ‘in the green’, or above ideal average – ‘in the red’.  Following tariff changes, staying ‘in the green’ is the cost-effective and sustainable option.

The new tariff structure will apply to water and electricity consumption from January 1, 2015, and will be reflected in the bills from then onwards.

The distribution companies, ADDC and AADC, said they were ready to assist customers by implementing new water and electricity conservation initiatives through an awareness strategy that will help instil a culture to conserve these precious resources.

“Our staff is available around the clock to answer all customer questions related to the new tariff structure and help customers manage their consumption using simple conservation tips available on our website,” said Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Executive Director of Customer Service at ADDC .

“We encourage our customers to provide their feedback and communicate with us on a regular basis. In addition, we would like them to be part of our recently launched program ‘Shoorkum’ to provide valuable recommendations that aim to enhance the company’s technical and administrative performance,” Al Shamsi added.

Commenting on this, Abdulla Al Sheryani, Customer Service Director at AADC noted that the company is ready to implement the new tariffs for water and electricity, both efficiently and effectively to help customers understand the proposed new structure and how it will affect them.

Al Sheryani added, “We encourage customers to use all our services, especially ‘Estisharat’ to help identify easy ways to reduce consumption and stay ‘in the green’. Similar to ADDC, our customer service centres are equipped and staffed by teams who have all the knowledge to answer customer questions and find solutions.”

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