BRIEFS. utilities

Electric rates going up again

LA PRENSA/Jihan Rodríguez

costly:Many users will not be impacted by a hike in electric rates.1019807

The country's three electricity providers have announced that they will be increasing rates again this year.

Elektra Noreste, Edemet and Edechi yesterday published proposed adjustments to rates that will go into effect July 1. Those rates have a 2 cent per kilowatt hour increase. Industry officials said the increase is necessary because of rising fuel costs.

The latest increase comes on top of a 4 cent per kilowatt hour increase that Elektra Noreste and Edemet enacted on January 1.

The government is expected to absorb most of the price increase. In January, it decided to subsidize the increase for 90 percent of the affected customers.

The customers bearing the brunt of the price hike will be those consuming more than 500 kilowatt hours per month. These customers do not receive subsidies from the government.

The rate hike has to be approved by the government, though it does not appear as though it will be opposed.