Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Electricity consumers are in a dilemma because of the astronomical figures of their monthly bills but the National Electricity Company (NEC) is giving a deaf ear to their cries and complaints. The consumers, who did not receive any response or sympathy from the part of the company's officials, raised the question: how long will this unjustified rise in the electricity bill continues? Ahmed Al-Zahrani said the electricity bill of his resthouse went up suddenly from SR1,050 to SR1,500 though it was closed for most of the year. "There is no convincing reason behind this huge increase in the bill. I intend to complain and object to this high bill but I am sure I will receive no positive response," he said. Khaled Zuhair said his home bill was SR830 in June but went up to SR3,860 in July though there was no increase in the consumption. He said he went to the company's main office to know where the mistake was but the company insisted that he should pay first. "The increase in the bill was 400 percent without any logical reason as there was no increase in the consumption. I am astonished by the attitude of the company which forced me to pay or else they would cut the power," he said. Ali Al-Ghamdi said though he was on a 30-day annual vacation, he received a bill of SR1,800. "There was no electricity consumption at my home all this time and the outside meter was closed. How was this bill issued at this large amount?" he questioned. Abdul Rahman Al-Shahrani, who objected to his bill, said there was no use of complaining to the company because nobody would look at it. "The company is not responding to the complaints so there is no need to make them," he advised the consumers.
