JEDDAH — The Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority has made it mandatory for electricity provider to compensate every consumer affected by electricity cuts, according to new regulations approved by the Authority's Governor Abdullah Al-Shihry. In case of power outage, a residential consumer must be compensated with SR75 for every 24 hours of electricity cut and non-residential consumers with SR150. If power outage continues beyond 24 hours then an additional SR75 will be paid to consumers for every 12-hour delay. Electricity must be restored within five working days, failing which the service provider will be fined an additional SR20 for every five working day of delay. New consumers must get electricity connection within 40 working days. If new electricity connection is not given within 40 working days, then the electricity provider will be fined SR200 for residential consumer and SR400 for non-residential consumer. In case electricity is disconnected for non-payment of bills, it must be restored within three hours after payment in urban areas and within five hours in semi-urban and rural areas. Failure to do so will result in a fine of SR75 with additional fines for every three hours of delay. The electricity provider must give a two-day notice to consumers in case of electricity disconnection. Failure to do so will result in a fine of SR75 to be paid to the consumer. The electricity provider must respond to consumers' complaints and inquiries in full details within 15 working days. Failure to do so will result in a fine of SR75 to be paid to the consumer. If a consumer suffers more than four electricity cuts in a year, with each cut spanning more than four hours, then he will be compensated with SR200. The new regulations are to be implemented in 2018.
