Poor households given $51m in energy subsidies

The government subsidised $51 million worth of electricity across the country in 2017 in a bid to bring down the price of electricity for low-income households, according to the Minister of Mines and Energy. Speaking at the annual conference of the Electricity Authority Cambodia yesterday, Suy Sem said the $51 million in subsidies was paid for by Electricite du Cambodge’s revenue in recent years.

EdC is a state-run enterprise and the sole electric utility in Cambodia. Mr Sem said the subsidies were included in the government’s preferential plan on electricity tariffs for the years 2015-2020, which aims to progressively lower the price of electricity every year. “Private electricity providers, both in rural and urban areas, must sell their electricity at the prices set by the government. Their losses will be covered by the authorities,” he said.

For households in Phnom Penh and Takhmao that consumed less than 50 kilowatt hour per month last year, electricity tariffs were set at 610 riel ($0.15) per kWh. For those that used between 51 to 200 kWh, the cost of electricity was 710 riel ($0.17), according to EAC’s annual report.

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