Last Thursday, Saudis were shocked with the new huge electricity bills they received as the Saudi government surprisingly increased electricity rates for the month of June 2018.
Hashtag: “لن_نسدد_الكهرباء” which literally translates to: “We won’t pay electricity bills” is trending among Saudis following a previous hashtag: “Electricity Bills” that was trending since Thursday. Both are for the large increase in electricity prices that triggered a public outcry among Saudis.
In response, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) attributed the hike to the increase in air-conditioning usage due to hot weather. However, Saudis condemned using summer weather conditions as a justification suggests that nothing changed from previous years.
Translation: “Obviously, the Saudi SEC lacks a professional team to manage media crisis. The company is going through a really tough time because of the electricity bills and the statement made by their spokesperson is nothing, and the statement is traditional and not related. Such things exacerbate the crisis more.”
On the hashtag, many users went to threaten the government that they won’t pay the bills until old prices are back.
Translation: “We demand restoring old tariffs and lowering the prices of fuel, we have children.”
Some users criticized the idea of the hashtag and said there should be another effective solution.
Translation: “Not paying the bills won’t solve any problems. There are many other ways through which we can express our protest systematically and no one right will be lost Inshallah. You can try filing a complaint at the company and if it did not work then file a lawsuit against it and approve what they have done wrong, if this did not work as well you can file a complaint to the royal court. But do not paying the bills will only leave you without electricity.”
Another user went on to criticize the Saudi government for helping Jordan with “few billions” following the latest protests on high taxes while increasing prices on its people.
Translation: “You pay Jordan’s taxes the last month and now you are letting Saudis pay it back for you.”
Some users confirmed their bills came more than doubled in June comparing to the last month although they were traveling abroad during the mentioned period.
Translation: “I swear I was traveling abroad during the month and I turned off my electricity meter and now my bill is 380 SR, noting that it was 62 SR last month. This is an explicit manipulation to collect money.”
Salah Al Ghaydan, a Saudi TV presenter mocked the situation as he was on a summer vacation but his bill was still really high.
Translation: “I am on a summer vacation and my house is empty but the electricity bill came higher than last month. Oh God why did I go the vacation.”
The prices of electricity bills had increased by 235% to users who consume 2,000 kilowatts per hour within an entire month, while it increased by 61.2% for users who consume 6,000 kilowatts per hour within the same period, according to the Saudi Gazette.
Many other users complained the increase in costs of living in the Kingdom in general while still having children to raise, schools to pay for and many other spendings.
In fact, Saudis have been facing a difficult year in 2018, in which the government increased fuel prices by around 80% by the beginning of the year. Food prices also were increasing sharply without any justification from the concerned authorities.
