This public notice is issued by the Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA) in accordance with paragraph 12(1)(c) of the Utilities Regulatory Authority Act No.11 of 2007 (as amended).

During the month of April, electricity customers in Port Vila have experienced unusual spikes in their electricity bills as compared to their typical monthly electricity bills.

The URA would like to inform electricity customers that after investigating this matter, it was identified that for the month of March, UNELCO estimated the electricity consumption and billed its customers accordingly. A key factor for the estimation was largely credited to the community outbreak of the Covid-19, and subsequent lockdown, resulting in restriction of public movement including prohibition of operations for non-essential services. Unfortunately, as UNELCO’s meter reading subcontractor falls under the non-essential services category, they were not able to conduct the meter readings during the lockdown period in time for the formulation of March electricity invoice.

Consequently, March invoices were estimated based on customers’ past historical consumption pattern. Furthermore, given that the Covid-19 restrictions on businesses, services and schools, most individuals and children were restricted to their homes and as a result the tendency by residents to consume electricity during the lockdown increased. This is the main reason as to why, the electricity consumption in March were quite higher than the typical monthly consumption pattern under normal circumstances for most residential customers, also including April. And so, when actual meter readings were undertaken in April, customers’ actual energy consumptions were quite high when compared to the usual consumption levels. Hence, the meter reading in April captured both the March and April actual consumptions.

Upon further investigation it was noted that UNELCO made appropriate deductions to account for the estimations billed for March electricity consumption in order to compute the April electricity invoices.

Nonetheless, customers are informed that for May electricity invoices and subsequent ones, customers should not experience such spike in their electricity bill. Should customers notice any anomalies in their subsequent invoices, they should first bring that matter to UNELCO’s attention. In terms of a future lockdown, this issue should not recur as meter reading contractor and UNELCO should have obtained necessary authorization.

URA also wishes to inform customers that given the continuous rise in the price of diesel globally, this phenomenon is also experienced nationally causing increase in UNELCO’s monthly electricity prices. This is largely due to the fact that on average more than 80% of the total monthly electricity is produced from diesel in Efate. Customers are therefore encouraged to manage their electricity consumption by using energy efficient appliances and exercise electricity saving measures.