Cut in chiller charges comes as relief for Dubai residents

Dubai - Many residents gave the initiative a big thumbs up, and said it is a big relief in the time of Covid.

It is a double bonanza for many Dubai residents as the district cooling companies will be reducing consumption bills a week after Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) slashed the surcharge for water and electricity.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority last week reduced the fuel surcharge for electricity from 6.5 fils to 5 fils per kilowatt-hour and for water from 0.6 fils to 0.4 fils per imperial gallon. Following this, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has directed district cooling companies to reduce the bills for residents of communities that are powered by them.

Many residents gave the initiative a big thumbs up, and said it is a big relief in the time of Covid.

“Till now we haven’t seen a substantial difference between peak summer and winter month bills because of the fixed component in district cooling.

But if district cooling companies can bring down the fixed component it will provide some relief to residents,” said Dubai resident , Shilpa Akula said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Indian expat Arijit who lives in Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT) says: “It’s a welcome move and a big relief. With winter months approaching and A/C usage coming down, it would be ideal if it can be made in sync with people’s consumption rates. Air-conditioning bills are otherwise mirrored in the conventional bill which is directly proportional to usage. For us, the chiller is excluded so in summer the bill is around Dh1,500 and in winter Dh800 for a two bedroom apartment. However, even this news is a big reprieve in current times.”

It is said this decision is in line with the Demand Side Management Strategy 2030, which aims to reduce demand for electricity and water by 30 per cent by 2030.

Pakistani expat Naima Khan who lives in JLT says: “We all know how costly air-conditioning bills can be. To combat the impending costly A/C bills, for tenants and homeowners, this will prove to be a huge respite, especially now in Covid-19 times as many people have lost their jobs or are experiencing pay cuts. Any rebate on the monetary front is always more than welcome and this initiative is much appreciated.”

nandini@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai