The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said yesterday that it was aiming for electricity rates to be raised by 12.6 percent on July 1 and 12.6 percent on Oct. 1.
This means that rates would increase from an average NT$2.15 per kilowatt-hour to NT$2.41 per kilowatt-hour on July 1, and to NT$2.68 per kilowatt-hour on Oct. 1.
“However, today’s meeting was only a consultation forum and did not reach any final conclusions. The ministry will gather opinions from different sectors and present our report to the Cabinet,” Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs for Administration Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) said yesterday.
The proposal is in accordance with a Cabinet announcement on May 27 that rates would be hiked one-fourth of the required level on July 1, and one-half on Oct. 1.
Taiwan Power Co’s (Taipower, 台電) proposal said the required hike in electricity prices this year is 50.4 percent. It said electricity prices for households with monthly electricity consumption of less than 110 kilowatt-hours would remain at their current level, in a bid to spare low-income households.
Households with monthly consumption between 111 kilowatt-hours and 330 kilowatt-hours, as well as small shops that use less than 330 kilowatt-hours per month, would see their electricity prices increase by half, it said.
On average, households will have to pay an additional NT$71 a month from July to September if they consume 448 kilowatt hours per month during that period.
Based on the average monthly consumption of 365 kilowatt-hours a year, monthly electric bills would rise by an average NT$88 beginnin on Oct. 1.
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