Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday reiterated his call for the government to suspend the implementation of higher summer electricity rates.
Chiang on Facebook on June 1 — the first day the summer rates went into effect — urged the government to hold off on charging the higher prices as long as the level 3 COVID-19 alert remained in place.
He cited an increased burden on household expenses as people were working and studying from home, adding that the government should consider lowering the costs of COVID-19 prevention for families.
The suspension would allow people to practice COVID-19 prevention at home with peace of mind and serve as “a good first step” in offering economic relief, he added.
His proposal for a suspension of summer electricity rates, which he made on behalf of the KMT, has also been supported by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus, Chiang told an online meeting of the party’s Central Standing Committee yesterday.
“I call on the government to stop stalling,” Chiang said. “It is really not that difficult to suspend summer electricity prices.”
The DPP legislative caucus on Monday said that it would ask the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) not to calculate household electricity fees based on the summer rates this month.
The circumstances this year are unprecedented, as most people are following the guidance to stay at home as much as possible, the DPP caucus said.
The ministry on Monday said that it would ask Taipower to assess the benefits of the proposal, as well as the likely effect it would have on overall power supply.
The nation in February 1989 adopted seasonal electricity rates “to reflect the difference in the cost of electricity ... so as to encourage energy conservation,” according to Taipower’s Web site.
Additional reporting by CNA
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