Nex electricity tariffs to cut costs for key sectors – Energy Minister

AMMAN — The restructure of electricity tariffs in a number of sectors, comes in line with the government’s Economic Modernisation Vision relating to the development of the local industrial sector, said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh on Wednesday.

Speaking during a joint conference at the Ministry of Government Communication, Kharabsheh said that the time-bound electricity tariff which is set to be introduced starting July, aims to decrease electricity expenses in a number of economic sectors through shifting more of their electricity usage to off-peak hours.

The ministerial meeting also included the participation of minister of government communication, Muhannad Mubaidin.

The targeted sectors include: the medium -and large-scale industry sector, extractive industries, telecommunications sector, among other industries, the minister said.

According to Kharabsheh, “The new electricity tariff design decreases costs in case the aforementioned sectors benefit from off-peak hours and change their consumption patterns,” 

Further, the minister pointed out that the new tariff design creates efficiencies for the electricity value chain and targeted sectors alike.

The minister noted that the average tariff rate of the time-bound design for the targeted sectors based on actual consumption data, are the same as the current tariff average. 

“In case we succeed in changing the sectors’ electricity consumption patterns, through shifting 25 per cent of their electricity usage... around JD2.25 million would be saved.” The minister said.