HA NOI (Biz Hub) — There were no errors detected during the recording and calculation of power usage by consumers, said Dinh The Phuc, deputy head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In responding question on the jump in electricity bills last month, Phuc told the press meeting held in Ha Noi yesterday that ERA checked electricity counters with presence of customers.

He said customers whose complaints on the sudden rise in their bills agreed with the conclusion and checked their electrical appliances.

"The new electricity retail prices that will apply to six price levels instead of the seven levels doesn't made the prices increased," he added.

The new calculation, which took effect from the beginning of June, stipulates that power tariffs for households consuming 0-50kWh will be 92 per cent of the average price, 95 per cent for 51-100kWh, 110 per cent for 101-200kWh, 138 per cent for 201-300kWh, 154 per cent for 301-400kWh and 159 per cent for more than 401kWh.

Deputy minister Do Thang Hai added that 76 per cent of households claimed on the rise had a power consumption of more than 400kWh. Of which there was no households had consumption of less than 100kWh.

"If households consume power of over 400kWh, the bills would be higher," Hai said.

Nguyen Quang Trung, deputy general director of Ha Noi Electricity Corporation (EVN Ha Noi) said the hot weather, that included three heat waves hitting the northern provinces between May and June, led to the increased use of electrical cooling equipment, resulting in higher power consumption.

Some districts like Hoang Mai and Dong Da, power consumption in June was 40-60 per cent higher than that of May.

He said the average power consumption last month was 42.7kWh a day, rising 23.4 per cent over May.

Alone in June, the number of customers which had power consumption 1.5 times higher than May in Ha Noi was 686,336 and accounted for 34 per cent of the total. Around 348,000 households or 17 per cent of the total had power consumption in June double than the previous month.

The ERA also said the electricity sector would ensure power supply for production and living in July. — VNS