THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has extended its suspension of electricity service disconnections for another three months, giving consumers more time to settle unpaid power bills as the war in the Middle East continues to threaten global energy markets.
In an advisory issued on Thursday, the regulator ordered all distribution utilities to suspend electricity disconnections until October, extending an earlier three-month relief measure that took effect in May.
The ERC said the move forms part of its consumer protection measures amid risks to the country’s energy supply arising from the conflict in the Middle East.
The regulator also ordered distribution utilities to offer flexible payment arrangements to households consuming no more than 200 kilowatt-hours a month by allowing them to stagger or defer payments.
Consumers who are able to pay their bills in full are encouraged to continue doing so, the ERC said, adding that the advisory does not prevent customers from settling their obligations during the extended period. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
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