Myanmar denies rumours about raising electricity prices
Thursday, 6 September 2007
YANGON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua): The Myanmar electric power authorities have denied rumors that electricity prices will be raised again along with the recent fuel price hike, the local Pyi Myanmar news journal reported Wednesday.
The denial was made by Chief Engineer of the Yangon City Electricity Supply Board U Aung Khine.
Rumors have circulated in the city that electricity charge prices for household consumption will increase to 100 Kyats (0.07 U.S. dollars) per unit power (kilowatt-hour) consumption from the present price of 25 Kyats per unit.
In May 2006, Myanmar's electricity charge prices once went up to 25 Kyats per unit charged uniformly from previous prices which differed from 2.5 Kyats to 25 Kyats per 1 to 200 units. The old system of collecting electricity charge had remained in force for seven years since May 1999 until April 2006.
The 2006 readjustment of the electricity prices marked the end of government's subsidy for civil servants, pensioners and religious buildings ever since.
The then prices were introduced in line with the sharp increase of salaries of government employees earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, on August 15 this year, the energy authorities raised the official prices of fuel to a new high with the gasoline prices ascending by 66 per cent to 2,500 Kyats (about 1.96 U.S. dollars) from the previous 1,500 Kyats (1.18 dollars) per gallon, while diesel by 100 per cent to 3,000 Kyats (2.36 dollars) from 1,500 Kyats (1.18 dollars) per gallon and compressed natural gas (CNG) by over 500 per cent to 273 Kyats (0.21 dollar) from 52 Kyats (0.04 dollar) per kilogram or to 3,000 Kyats (2.36 dollars) from 500 Kyats (0.39 dollar) per 50- liter cyclinder.
The surprise official fuel price hike in Yangon prompted the increase of bus fares by double overnight, bringing about some negative impact on public transportation.
However, almost all the bus fares have been brought down again to normal since Monday by the passengers transport authorities. The decision was seen as part of the provisional measures taken by the authorities amid some anti-price-hike street demonstrations in Yangon and some parts of the country in order to ease the situation.
The denial was made by Chief Engineer of the Yangon City Electricity Supply Board U Aung Khine.
Rumors have circulated in the city that electricity charge prices for household consumption will increase to 100 Kyats (0.07 U.S. dollars) per unit power (kilowatt-hour) consumption from the present price of 25 Kyats per unit.
In May 2006, Myanmar's electricity charge prices once went up to 25 Kyats per unit charged uniformly from previous prices which differed from 2.5 Kyats to 25 Kyats per 1 to 200 units. The old system of collecting electricity charge had remained in force for seven years since May 1999 until April 2006.
The 2006 readjustment of the electricity prices marked the end of government's subsidy for civil servants, pensioners and religious buildings ever since.
The then prices were introduced in line with the sharp increase of salaries of government employees earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, on August 15 this year, the energy authorities raised the official prices of fuel to a new high with the gasoline prices ascending by 66 per cent to 2,500 Kyats (about 1.96 U.S. dollars) from the previous 1,500 Kyats (1.18 dollars) per gallon, while diesel by 100 per cent to 3,000 Kyats (2.36 dollars) from 1,500 Kyats (1.18 dollars) per gallon and compressed natural gas (CNG) by over 500 per cent to 273 Kyats (0.21 dollar) from 52 Kyats (0.04 dollar) per kilogram or to 3,000 Kyats (2.36 dollars) from 500 Kyats (0.39 dollar) per 50- liter cyclinder.
The surprise official fuel price hike in Yangon prompted the increase of bus fares by double overnight, bringing about some negative impact on public transportation.
However, almost all the bus fares have been brought down again to normal since Monday by the passengers transport authorities. The decision was seen as part of the provisional measures taken by the authorities amid some anti-price-hike street demonstrations in Yangon and some parts of the country in order to ease the situation.