STELCO slashes 17,000-rufiyaa bill to 1,000 and 12,000-rufiyaa bill to 600 following customer complaints

The State Electric Company (STELCO) has significantly reduced inflated electricity bills following formal complaints from customers. In two notable instances, a bill of MVR 17,000 was slashed to just MVR 1,000, while another totaling MVR 12,000 was revised down to MVR 600.

A resident of Male' told RaajjeTV's "Fashaairu" program that their family received an electricity bill of MVR 17,643.31 within just one month of moving into a new apartment. According to the resident, when the landlord took the bill to STELCO to contest the exorbitant amount, the utility company subsequently reduced the bill to MVR 1,000.74.

An electricity bill totaling MVR 17,643.31 has been reduced to MVR 1,000.74. | Raajje MV

Furthermore, another Male' resident informed the "Fashaairu" program that their electricity bill had reached MVR 12,998.39. The resident noted that after taking the matter to STELCO, the bill was subsequently reduced to MVR 657.32.

An electricity bill totaling MVR 12,998.39 has been reduced to MVR 675.32. | Raajje MV

Public outcry over rising electricity costs continues to intensify each month as residents receive their utility bills. Many citizens have also raised allegations against STELCO, accusing the utility provider of deliberately inflating charges.

Amidst mounting complaints regarding rising electricity costs, former Managing Director of STELCO, Hussain Fahmy, stated that the surge in utility bills is not a phenomenon unique to the Maldives. He explained that recent spikes are driven by increased energy consumption resulting from rising global temperatures.