Media Release
URA conducts awareness on electricity billing for communities in Northwest Efate Area
As part of its Public Education Program (PEP) 2023, the Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA) has commenced the roll-out of its PEP sessions, firstly throughout Efate. The CEO Paul Kaun intends for these sessions to be conducted by the URA team throughout all of Vanuatu and especially in areas where there is on-grid electricity demanded by consumers and sold at a price by electricity operators in concession areas, mini and micro grid areas, community areas including potential areas which are likely to have electricity network grids established.
Yesterday, Monday 29th May, three communities were visited by the URA team – Mangaliliu, Napko Farea Fatenleng and Siviri Community. Presentations were welcomed by the communities’ attendees. Questions and interactions proved that there is lack of knowledge on utility service billings by the electricity committed customers and especially the steps that they should take to obtain support and responses to queries that they may have. The team present were pleased to provide responses to queries that were being brought up, including providing them with key contact details for any future liaison and customer complaint issue(s) that they may have.
Questions raised related to the use of prepayment meters and the extension of electricity service to areas within the community that were still without access to electricity. The URA team also collected complaints from individual customers that will be brought to UNELCO Engie’s attention to address.
Another issue raised is the limited number of UNELCO Engie’s resale points in North Efate. URA is aware that a contributing factor is poor internet coverage in the area. URA will consult the Office of the Telecommunication, Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) and UNELCO Engie on this matter.
For this first round of awareness, URA is targeting customer understanding of UNELCO Engie’s electricity tariff and how the tariff is applied to customer monthly bills. As result, the expected outcome of this topic is to ensure that a UNELCO Engie electricity customer becomes fully aware and informed of his/her use of electricity as a postpaid or prepaid customer, how the bill is calculated and briefly on the cost components that make up the price of electricity that a consumer is paying.
Awareness content also covers information on the role of the URA, the rights and obligation of the customer and the utility.
Future awareness dates with some of the Communities around Efate have been secured. On Monday 5th June 2023, awareness will be held with the communities of Tanoliu Village and Ulei area, followed by, Malafau Village and Meten Area on the 12th of June 2023. On the 19th and 26th of June 2023, the URA awareness teams will be at North Efate communities of Saama, Emua and Paunagisu villages. Arrangements are currently being made for other communities on East to South of Efate for the URA team to also visit. However, should there be a community along the North to South of Efate that is interested in hosting a session, a representative for the Community is welcomed to contact the URA to make arrangements.
Public is encouraged to follow us on URA’s official Facebook page 'Utilities Regulatory Authority - URA of Vanuatu‘.
