Andorra will raise the electricity rate by 8% from December
In the case of professional clients, the increase will be 17%.
ANDORRA LA VELLA (ANDORRA), 12 Oct. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Government of Andorra has agreed to increase the electricity rate for domestic customers by an average of 8% and 17% for professional customers as of December 1.
The measure was announced at an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday by the head of government, Xavier Espot, and the Minister for the Environment, Agriculture and Sustainability, Sílvia Calvo, although just a few days ago the Executive insisted that there would be no further rise in rates after the one applied last April.
In a statement, the Executive has explained that they make this decision given the context of the global energy crisis, the war in Ukraine, the rise in electricity purchase prices and the negative impact that this has on the accounts of FEDA, the company national electric.
Espot has recalled that the national and global conjecture in relation to energy is delicate and requires taking new measures, since those implemented so far “are completely insufficient” to achieve the 15% savings set before the months of more consumption and guarantee the supply of energy providers –Andorra imports 80% of the electricity it consumes from France and Spain–.
Espot explained that on two occasions this October, Spain cut off the energy supply to the Principality, a fact that forced the activation of the FEDA contingency plan so that citizens would not notice the consequences and increase national hydroelectric production to the maximum, at the same time as more supply from France was needed.
He has also appealed to the co-responsibility of all sectors because he considers that the solution only depends on their ability to “give up the superfluous” and incorporate or abandon certain habits, he said.
IT WILL BE BETWEEN 3 AND 5 EUROS MORE IN THE MONTHLY INVOICE
Thus, an increase in tariffs is planned to limit the economic impact of increases in electricity prices in neighboring countries, but trying to minimize the effects on families with moderate consumption.
The proposal, which will come into force on December 1, provides for an average increase of 8% for most domestic customers, which will mean between 3 and 5 euros more in the monthly bill, while in the case of professionals the increase it will be 17%.
BALD
For his part, Calvó has insisted that the rates are still much lower than those of neighboring countries, since in France the prices are 50% higher while in Spain they represent double those applied in Andorra.
At the same press conference they announced a package of energy saving measures that involves both the general administration, the town councils, the business sector and individuals.
Thus, all the measures that are already applied in the general administration will also be applied in local entities, although some “particularity” is contemplated, such as that the Christmas lighting will only work for 6 consecutive weeks, it must be turned off at midnight and there will be to reduce consumption by 30% compared to last year.
In the case of the private sector, temperatures in the premises may not be below 26 degrees during the summer or above 20 in winter and the air conditioning and interior lights must be turned off during non-working hours and on holidays.
Exterior lighting and shop windows may only be on until the business closes; The night lighting of signs and advertisements will be prohibited and the Christmas lights will only work between December 1 and the first weekend of January and never until later than 10:00 p.m.
For citizens, energy saving recommendations will be made related to the temperature of homes, lights, electrical appliances and sustainable mobility.
HELP
In parallel, Espot and Calvó have announced a support plan to deal with the situation with an aid of 150 euros to pay for heating for homes in vulnerable situations.
They have also postponed for one year the application of the green tax scheduled for 2023 for heating gas oils and have increased the partial refund of the special tax on hydrocarbons for taxis and goods transport vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500 kilos, going from 3,000 current liters to 8,000.