Higher summer power rates will not come into effect for most residential users in July, the Cabinet announced Thursday. As a COVID relief measure, officials have extended their summer rate suspension for a month, through to the end of July. However, the relief does not apply to users of more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month, who will still be charged at the higher rates.
For business owners, electricity is an inevitable expense. With businesses still reeling from the outbreak in May, lawmakers have called for a freeze on power rates and oil prices, to ease financial burdens.
Chang Kai-hsiang
Breakfast shop owner
Refrigerator, air conditioning, oven. They consume electricity, and business has gotten worse. So we have to adjust our use based on the circumstances. There are subsidies that help out a little. For us it provides a bit of relief.
This breakfast shop runs up a bill of NT$5,000-6,000 every month in off-peak periods. That can triple in the summertime, exceeding NT$10,000. It’s a hard burden to carry in a pandemic.
Lo Ping-cheng
Executive Yuan spokesman
The Ministry of Economic Affairs proposed a July suspension today for residential users. That is, residential users who use up to 1,000 kilowatt-hours will continue to be charged non-summer rates. Summer rates will not apply to them. However, users who consume more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month will be charged summer rates.
The Executive Yuan spokesman announced that summer rates will be suspended in July, as they were in June. But residential users who consume more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month will be charged summer rates. In related news, food and drink vendors are gearing up for a possible downgrade of the Level 3 COVID alert after July 26. A return to Level 2 could mean a return to dining in at restaurants nationwide.
Chang Kai-hsiang
Breakfast shop owner
Of course we’re hoping to open up if the epidemic is under control. But we also worry that after reopening, there might be a second wave, an even more serious epidemic. But we do want to reopen soon for dining in.
Lo Ping-cheng
Executive Yuan spokesman
With regard to this issue, we will sort out all the details and a package of guidelines, and decide on whether to lower the alert. All of that information will be announced together by the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Regarding the announcement, the Executive Yuan spokesman deferred to the Central Epidemic Command Center. In the meantime, vendors are rushing to prepare for a potential reopening.
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